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Sexism In Today's Society (theodysseyonline.com)

Even though we have made progress through the years on women's rights there is still a big issue with sexism. Back in the day men were said to be the ones that went to work, and the women were meant to be stay at home moms cook and clean. Of course, there isn't anything wrong to be a stay-at-home mom it was the fact men believed this is only what women could or should do. As this has been proven wrong over the years and women can be just as successful there is still a lot of people who still carry this belief today. Not only with work but also how a women should act and dress. If we don't act or dress in a proper manner then we are asking to be whistled at or for whatever comes next, but men can have a tank top on and never get told that.
In "Sexism In Todays Society" by Cierra Nicole Thorne she stated men are affected because they are told to be masculine, and man like she then said "They never learn to take responsibility for their actions because society tells them their gender makes it okay, girls are the ones asking for it." Thats is an unfortunate truth and this way of thinking still continues in society today.

Marquea Hawley

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This issue is not going away any time soon

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Racial Disparities in Maternal Morbidity by Nicholas Sessions

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Racial Disparities in Maternal Morbidity by Nicholas Sessions

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Advancements in medical science have drastically lowered the rate at which women are dying as a result of childbirth, however there is a large disparity between the rate at which white women and black women die during childbirth. The linked article details the medical racism that Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has faced while going through her pregnancy. Serena's experience is a microcosm of what black women face in the medical system. Black Women are denied care, ignored, and neglected constantly by medical professionals who are supposed to have their best interest in mind. Serena Williams displays that this does not change with access to more resources. The article gives more in depth statistics, stating that Black women die at a rate roughly three times larger than white women. The article also stated that many of these deaths are largely preventable and are a result of the invalidation of the pain that a Black woman is enduring. While some may think this happens in a bubble, unfortunately it doesn't. Invalidation starts with how we refer to Black women and their pain. Black women are often masculinized in media and in everyday life. This masculinization leads to the expectation of Black women to constantly be strong or fierce, leaving no room for vulnerability and other similar characteristics.

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What Serena Williams’s scary childbirth story says about medical treatment of black women

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Black women are often dismissed or ignored by medical care providers. Williams wasn’t an exception.

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The Fortune 500 list ranks America's largest companies and is often looked to for information about the growing business industry. However, only 8.1% of the CEOS on the fortune 500 list of companies are women. Although there is a growing number of women in business, this statistic reminds us how much work there is to be done. Some noticeable achievements by women in the industry this year:
-CVS is the largest company to be run by a woman right now, Karen Lynch
- Roz Brewer becomes CEO of Walgreens Boot Alliance in March
-Thasunda Brown Duckett becomes CEO of TIAA
Brewer and Duckett are the 2nd and 3rd black women ever to be on that list of fortune 500 ceos. This is a great reminder of why intersectionality is so important. Not only do we lack in representation of women in business, we lack a wider diversity or variety of women representing us. It's amazing to see women excel in business, however, if the person who is excelling is always a white woman, that isn't enough. It is crucial that there is a wide diversity of women in power. Diversity brings different and unique perspectives and reminds us how important representation is.

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The female CEOs on this year's Fortune 500 just broke three all-time records

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From the highest-ranking female CEO to new representation for Black women on the list.

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Racism and privilege within the modeling industry

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Racism and privilege within the modeling industry

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Pvi4ACTNQ

Within the modeling industry, there are many barriers that models have to deal with. That holds them back and puts a lot of pressure upon them; rather it's racial, cultural, or ethical backgrounds, there should be more equal opportunities for all models. Within the video, there’s even talk about how there's a lack of diversity within the modeling industry. This means there’s a standard look that the modeling industry looks for. And that’s most of the time skinny frail women. The main objective is to showcase clothing that is going to be worn by the public. Which are all different shapes and sizes, this can possibly play mind games not only with the models but also with the women in our society as well. What I mean by this is that there could be a woman that is on the heavy side when it comes to weight willing to buy a product that she likes. But it is only being advertised for smaller-sized women. And a woman with low self-esteem can be triggered into depression, or a trans of negative thoughts all because of clothing. Or how the modeling industry is only advertising clothing for smaller groups of people because they feel as this is the way things should look. This is unfair because it’s making people think that they have to look a certain way or they don’t look good at all.

-Robert Davis 111

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9 Models on Racism & Privilege in the Modeling Industry | The Models | Vogue

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https://news.umich.edu/many-parents-still-believe-boys-are-better-more-competitive-at-sports-than-girls/
Assuming you know sport, you know this without question: there is a normal 10-12% exhibition hole between tip top guys and first class females.  The hole is more modest between tip top females and non-tip top guys, however it's as yet inconceivable and that is at last what matters.  Making an interpretation of these insights into certifiable outcomes, we see, for instance, that:

Just in the single year 2017, Olympic, World, and U.S. Champion Tori Bowie's 100 meters lifetime best of 10.78 was beaten 15,000 times by men and boys.  (Yes, that’s the right number of zeros.)

The same is true of Olympic, World, and U.S.  Champion Allyson Felix’s 400 meters lifetime best of 49.26.  Just in the single year 2017, men and boys around the world outperformed her more than 15,000 times.
- ariane Nelson

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Female Olympian handballers fined for playing in shorts instead of bikini bottoms. A female Paralympian told by a championship official that her shorts were "too short and inappropriate." Olympic women gymnasts, tired of feeling sexualized, opted for full-length unitards instead of bikini-cut leotards.

"Women athletes' attire is constantly scrutinized," said Philip Veliz of the University of Michigan School of Nursing. "No one has ever said that a baseball or football player's pants are too tight."

Research from Veliz and colleagues found that gender stereotypes and double standards, where female athletes are treated differently or aren't taken as seriously as male counterparts, persist even among parents.

The researchers polled more than 3,000 boys and girls aged 7 to 17 and their parents/guardians across the country, and were surprised that roughly one third of parents (32%) believed that boys are better at sports than girls. And parents of youth who have never played sports are more likely to believe that girls are not as competitive as boys and that sports are more important to boys than girls.

While the study did not specifically look at the sexualization of girls in sports, Veliz said these stereotypes can lead to the type of sexualization of female athletes seen in the Olympic uniform controversy, where the Norwegian women's beach handball team was fined for refusing to play in skimpy, mandated bikini outfits.

The study found that gender stereotypes and the dearth of female coaches as role models are among the biggest reasons that girls quit or don't participate in sports, Veliz said.

"The average age that kids enter sports is 6, which requires heavy parental involvement," Veliz said. "If you believe that boys are better than girls, you may be taking girls to a different activity or not doing sports at all."

Girls (43%) are more likely to have never played sports than boys (35%) and less likely to be currently playing sports-36% of girls compared to nearly 46% of boys. Overall, about 40% of youth surveyed said they currently play sports.

"Sport is the most popular extracurricular activity in the United States for both boys and girls. Yet, we see this gender gap in participation persist, and parents may be driving some of this," said Veliz, a research assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Institute for Research on Women and Gender, and associate director of the Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center.

According to the study, African American and low-income youths overall, but especially girls, were least likely to be current players, and most likely to have never played or dropped out. Boys and girls both reported being teased, but for girls, the teasing was worse for teens than during their younger years.

Veliz said that another problem for girls is the relative lack of female coaches. Only 58% of girls had a female coach, compared to 88% of boys who reported having a male coach.

"We're seeing a big gender disparity between who's coaching boys and girls," he said. "We need to ask why we don't have more female coaches. We should have 88% of girls saying they have a female coach. However, we still see females being underrepresented in coaching at the youth level and beyond."

Veliz said it's important to convince parents that boys and girls are equally interested in sports, and also to eliminate barriers to entry for female coaches. As more female athletes have daughters, this will naturally improve, he said.

"If you have a mom who used to play sports, she will be more likely to say, 'I want my daughter to participate in these activities like I did,'" he said.

Another surprise was that few kids reported quitting sports because of injury for either boys or girls. However, of the 16% of kids who reported experiencing a concussion from sports, over a third quit. While this finding was not broken down by gender, it may be a factor that could differentially funnel girls out of sport, Veliz said.

Indeed, the study found that the average age of kids who quit sports for any reason was 11. This could mean that sports became something different or that it was no longer fun.

"One of the problems with sports in the United States is it's really about the competition, and some kids just want to play for fun," said Veliz, who would like to see kids play until they graduate. "Sports is really the main source of physical activity for kids. It will set the stage for them as they grow up."

The study, "Keeping Girls in the Game: Factors that Influence Sports Participation," is believed to be one of the first to examine factors that influence entry, participation and dropout rates in sports. It was published by the Women's Sports Foundation in partnership with The Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation. WSF was founded by tennis pro Billie Jean King.

Study co-authors are Nicole Zarrett of the University of South Carolina and Don Sabo of D'Youville College.
More information:

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Many parents still believe boys are better, more competitive at sports than girls

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Female Olympian handballers fined for playing in shorts instead of bikini bottoms. A female Paralympian told by a championship official that her shorts were "too short and inappropriate." Olympic women gymnasts, tired of feeling sexualized, opted for full-length unitards instead of bikini-cut leotar

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I took this photo from the article, "How Doctors Take Women's Pain Less Seriously", written by Joe Fassler (link in caption and at the bottom). Fassler's article tells of his secondhand experience with sexism in medicine, when he brought his wife to the Emergency Room and she was brought in almost two hours later - which was three times the expected wait to see a doctor. Additionally, earlier, while in the waiting room, nurses gave Fassler's wife negative and sexist reactions, like telling her that she was "'just feeling a little pain, honey'" (Fassler).
It is no secret that the world is filled with biases and thus, discrimination. There is racism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc, everywhere. For these next few weeks, I will be talking about/studying gender discrimination in the medical field.
Women are unfortunately and unfairly (often) looked down upon. Many have heard the phrase, "It's a man's world", and I agree. Men have the upper hand, for the most part. For example, outside of medicinal industries, there is the well-known wage gap. There are things like job expectations between genders - women should stay home, they are not as strong as men, etc. Women are too emotional and are not trustworthy, etc.
Focusing back onto the medical field - I have read multiple articles - which I will use as we continue our studies into these subjects - about the treatment of women in times of need, their experiences; the ways in which they were or were not treated in the manner in which they should have been in critical situations, such as medical emergencies - as seen in Fossler's article, mentioned above.
Such vital areas and industries like the medical field and healthcare's discrimination against women are horrible and, in some cases, deadly. I have seen examples (in videos and social media, etc) where women do not recieve attention until the very last minute, which can be extremely dangerous.
The whole point of hospitals and medical industries is to keep or help people be healthy. It is to treat everyone fairly and equally in order to ensure the health and general life of a person. A person should not have to worry about getting unequal treatment because of their gender. We must make sure that everyone gets equal treatment - and respect - and recovers of their medical emergencies or problems - or keep these issues at bay/prevent them in general.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/emergency-room-wait-times-sexism/410515/
- Beatriz Dutra e Mello

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I feel that sexism is clearly something that still exists today. Although there is improvement, I completely believe that it is still very present within our society. In the media industry, women are judged primarily based on their looks. Their accomplishments are often shadowed by their looks. With most film directors being male, the women who are in the film industry are subjected to sexism. Sometimes the women feel like they are just a prop to make whatever the film is more presentable. Unfortunately, there are also many cases where women are taken advantage of as film directors or higher ups give an ultimatum to them getting a business opportunity. This leads to them potentially feeling silenced about sexual assault due to them wanting to further their careers. Traditionally, the main characters of movies are typically male, therefore the roles that typically are open for women are side characters and typically not the heroes. However, the female actresses aren't the only ones being discriminated against, in fact the female directors have also faced tons of sexism. An example is people refusing to work with them for a sports related film due to the fact that they think they don't have any background knowledge to make the film better, or people assuming that the director was going to be a man. People assume that women are less capable of jobs that were traditionally occupied by men. However, when the situation is reverse, there's not much backtalk questioning how well a man can do the job. An example I can think of is a male teacher- I feel that the majority of teachers are women, however I've never heard anyone question the capacity a man has of being a teacher even though it traditionally isn't a job occupied by a man.
-Esther Wang
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/27/sexism-film-industry-stories

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I've endlessly found myself in rooms of men and had the experience of feeling I wasn't being heard. It's a confidence thing. Jane Campion has talked about how women need to put on their armour. With Suffragette I was emboldened that there were so many women around me. We had a female writer, producers, production and costume designers. It was only my second feature film and it was a big challenge. Plus we were telling a story of women who broke taboos, so we felt we had to be fearless. We even tracked down a female sound recordist: it's a really intimate role, standing there with the boom, especially in the strip-search scenes. I'm so aware how often women's bodies are objectified on film.

Brendan Gleeson, who plays a police officer in the film, joked he's rarely worked in such an oestrogen-filled environment. He really spoke positively about it. Right from the beginning, both Ben [Whishaw] and Brendan were so generous and engaged with the process. It's such a reversal to get men playing supporting roles and women the leads.

As a teenager I wanted to tell stories with images, but I remember thinking: "I don't understand how to do this." And then I watched films by Mike Leigh and Terence Davies and thought: "Gosh there's a voice behind that film." It was an epiphany. But then I thought: "They're all men."

I think it's great to be talked about as a woman film-maker. It's part of who I am, it affects me daily. I want it to be part of the conversation. I'm for any scheme or initiative that gives women a way in. We've got to do all we can to break this ridiculous pattern where year in, year out, nothing changes. We're 51% of the world, we buy more than half the cinema tickets, we need these stories to be reflected. There are so few Oscar-nominated films with female protagonists - it's astounding what a boys' club it is.

I hate the way female directors have to look good. When I was younger, I used to fantasise about being a man. I'd think: "Oh, if I were a man, I'd walk in here and it would all be simpler. I wouldn't have to be self-conscious."

One of the reasons there are so few female directors is that it's hard to combine with a family. There are very few jobs that take you away travelling as much. In 2012, when I shot the documentary Village at the End of the World in Greenland with my husband, we took our two children. It's a very equal partnership. Making Suffragette, he stayed at home doing enormous amounts of childcare. He is Danish, so that helps. LH

I have experienced sexism in that I have been directed by male directors 17 times and only twice by women. Of the producers I've worked with 13 have been male and only one has been a woman. But I am lucky: I have always insisted on being treated equally and have generally won that equality. Most of the problems I have encountered have been in the media, where I have been treated so incredibly differently from my male co-stars.

I think my work with the UN has probably made me even more aware of the problems. I went out for a work dinner recently. It was 7 men... and me.

If something does go wrong in the workplace, the support network is not brilliant. The men at the top often find it difficult to relate to a lot of the problems women face and therefore we aren't taken very seriously. Yet, women are just as guilty of discriminating against women. Some of the best feminists I have encountered are men, like Steve Chbosky who directed me in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and director James Ponsoldt who I am working with at the moment [on The Circle]. Some women can be incredibly prejudiced against other women!

Iwould say 99% of women working in the film and television industries have experienced sexism. I can list endless examples, from the driver who refused to take me because he was told to wait for the director (which was me) to the executives who insist they need a male director for a film about boxing and fighting, then hire a guy who never had a fight in his life, while I spent the better part of my youth being an international competitive fighting champion. Once someone said to me: "We really wanted you to direct this movie, but 'anonymous male action star' refuses to be directed by a woman."

The director is considered the general, and just like in the military, they still can't picture anyone not born with the Y chromosome with that title. The industry still insists on telling most stories from a male point of view and even if women write male-driven fare, they're assumed to be less competent at it.

The general public doesn't consider our industry a real industry, they think making movies and TV shows is a rich person's hobby, like golf. So who cares that a bunch of spoiled women can't play golf? It's unfortunate that people don't realise how important the world's stories and storytellers are. I have met many people who are convinced that the number of female directors is so low because fewer women want to direct movies. And they say this without irony.

It mainly works through tokenism: we women directors are so starved for jobs, if you tap any of us to get into the club, we swear to uphold club rules and not rock the boat. If everybody wants to be "the chosen one" or "one of the guys", you won't have unity and solidarity - the only weapons that can combat the status quo.

The situation could be improved by using quotas. Everybody hates them, especially people like myself who have paid their dues but are still underrepresented. We all know you can't shake off the quota stamp whenever you get a job under a quota system. But, let's be honest, nobody is going to start practising inclusion voluntarily. ED

On my first film, after completing my very first shot, I was approached by a member of the crew who asked me if I "knew why women bleed". When I looked at him, slightly confused, he answered "because they're evil". Otherwise, most of the sexism I've experienced has been subtle. There are so few women working as directors, often a crew that hasn't been led by a woman before has to go through a process to get used to it. That said, apart from the above example, male crew have mostly been collaborative, supportive and respectful.

As a female director, once you have boarded a project, you're already dealing with the converted - you have arrived in the position of head of the creative team because those responsible for financing and producing your project are comfortable with the idea of a woman in charge. It's the figures that show something is wrong. Who directs most action movies? Are women directors naturally considered for these movies or is this still considered a male domain? The figures support the idea that men are perceived mainly as the directors. This conditioning affects women as much as men, and therefore some women looking to hire directors may think about the men out there before women.

There's a lot of female camaraderie in the industry and I benefit from that as well as try to contribute towards it; there is definitely a sisterhood. One (but by no means the only) way to improve things would be to ensure that those of us who do manage to break through make a commitment to employing and mentoring other women. ED

I have experienced sexism at work. Most of the time it's a refusal to do what you've asked, or to doubt the legitimacy of the instruction. The most illustrative thing I went through was a long time ago, in 1983, when I was a focus puller on the Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. The director of photography (DoP) was Robby Müller and I split my role with his usual focus puller. One week Robby wasn't there and I set the camera and did a frame. When Robby arrived, he said, "Who did this beautiful frame? It's really good", and the grip, who was next to me, said it was the male assistant who made it. I was just speechless - I felt invisible. I think I said something, but it was like a whisper, because I was astonished. And I was shy and quite young at the start of my career, and I didn't feel I could complain.

I think France was the most open to women working on camera. In Italy, it was really difficult, they would not do what I was asking. When you're a woman you have to prove, more than if you're a man, that you're a fast, solid, smart worker. Whenever I've been faced with sexist problems, I tried to manage them as if they were normal work problems; I would try not to show I was affected, but would defend the work I was doing.

Gradually the situation has improved but there is a limit: above certain budgets, maybe €13m (£9.5m), there are no women DoPs on big productions. It's hard not to think that this isn't related to sexism. KB

I've been fortunate not to have experienced sexism personally, but I see bias all around, which includes race and age bias as well as gender. Even today, many people are simply not used to seeing a woman lead a mostly male crew and handling highly technical camera and lighting gear. I've been asked by journalists: "How does it feel to have a man's job?" I tell them, "It's not a man's job, it's my job." I try to resist the impulse to react defensively - it's much more effective to use humour or irony. When guys make inappropriate comments, I see these as a sign of their ignorance or insecurity.

Until recently, women represented less than 1% of all cinematographers. Now there are many more, but progress has been slow and double standards persist. I've heard, for example, that if a male director is being picky, people say he has a strong vision. With a woman, people will say she is being difficult. It's also common to assume that kindness is a sign of weakness. The tendency is to idolise directors who are arrogant and dismissive in the way they wield their power.

Women directors have traditionally found more opportunities in independent cinema, where the focus is more on making good films than box office.

At a conference I went to recently, I was stunned at how many women had encountered negative attitudes or situations while shooting. Several women said they had not been hired because of their pregnancies. I do think some women are afraid of hiring other women because they're nervous that if the woman fails, it will reflect negatively on them. That said, many women in the industry do look out for each other. I have had fantastic experiences with women producers, directors and creatives. On Blow, the key members of [the late director] Ted Demme's posse were women. He was surrounded, and happily so. We were high-powered women who supported each other and laughed together during the six months of production. We are still very close. ED

I've never had anyone pinch my bum or anything. Obviously it did, and still does, happen. The film industry is such a strange beast. In creative roles, there are lots of female script editors and producers, but less so in the craft side of things and on set, eg the first ADs [assistant directors], gaffers, electricians... You just want a level playing field. If men and women are up for the same job, for now, the woman should get the job. Once we've levelled it, it should be on skill and merit.

Sexism is more in the portrayal of women on screen. When I'm told that a female character is too messy, too rude or crude, I think, why can't a woman be like that? When Amy Schumer starred in Trainwreck, some of the articles really annoyed me. She'd made one film and already people were pigeonholing her. There were all these think-pieces about her, asking "Does she drink too much? Is she a good role model?" - you'd never get that about a male-led film like The Hangover. My anger and aggression comes from wanting every film to be reviewed the same. Some of the reviews dismissed Man Up as a "chick flick". As a woman, you can be dismissed as a romcom writer. Woody Allen isn't dismissed. The standards by which women are judged creatively are very different.

If you have kids, it's difficult. Creches on set would be a good idea so you could go into work and drop your kids off. That said, you have very long days on set, sometimes 12-hour shifts, so it's complicated. But doable. I like to be upbeat and positive so that more women are encouraged into the industry: you can get somewhere, you just have to dig in and work hard.

The best feminists are sometimes the ones quietly getting on with it. I like to think if you're making good stuff, that's the main thing. But then I have an amazing support network - women like [producers] Nira Park and Rachael Prior.

The tide is turning - ever since Bridesmaids, then The Heat, Trainwreck, and an upcoming female Ghostbusters. That's really encouraging but it's difficult. When you're pitching, you still often get the question: "Can we make the female character a bit younger?" Or the dreaded "more likable". The only way it'll ever change is for women like [Kristen] Wiig and Schumer to keep doing what they do, and keep making good, funny, brilliant films with women playing, you know, people, in them. As Nora Ephron said: "You need to be the heroine of your own life." ED

There is clearly an issue within the industry: less than 15% of British films have been directed by women and there are similar figures when it comes to writers. Yet we did some research in 2012, which showed us that despite this, women were responsible for much higher profitability, so investing in women had a better record in terms of producing successful films.

When I started my career in the late 70s, women were in the boardroom and to start talking about feminism was to suggest we hadn't achieved equality. And yet we clearly hadn't. So there's been this realisation that we need to start talking about it. Now we have a host of extremely well-informed, intelligent, eloquent women, both in front of and behind the camera, who clearly articulate that something isn't working. I'm quite anxious about the word sexism, because it suggests there is a deliberate desire to exclude women, and I don't think that's the case. It's more there's an environment that doesn't make it easy for women to be in the workplace. Many of us are juggling careers and family, and if you're shooting, you might be on location for long periods of time with very long hours, and there's a huge amount of uncertainty as to when your next project is going to come along, so things like childcare are complicated.

One thing we're keen to ensure is an expectation among women that they can find a way into the industry. I was brought up in a village in Yorkshire, and it was an almost fanciful thought that you could end up in the industry.

We've set up the BFI Film Academy to identify talent - not only women - to help those who might never be able to find a route in. It's about saying to young women: you can do this. It's incumbent on every man and woman in the industry to do everything they can to help make that happen, by mentoring, for example, or initiatives to help women return to work after children. If you have gone through it yourself (I know how emotionally difficult it is to come back) you realise that an empathetic work environment is really important.

And yet there has been a flowering of brilliant female writers and directors: Carol Morley, Destiny Ekaragha, Amma Asante, Debbie Tucker Green... So we must recognise we have these fantastic women coming through who have the power to shape the industry. And it's because it's packed with these really intelligent women that the voices are louder at the moment. KB

As someone who works in the costume department, traditionally the domain of women and gay men, I haven't experienced blatant sexism directly. However, I've definitely dressed more men than women, proving there is still a dearth of female characters compared to male ones. I have also been party to conversations about female actors' figures and clothing in relation to "sexiness", and never once discussed how a man might appear or whether he was attractive enough. No one has ever told me to make the trousers tighter!

There were two memorable occasions when I was starting out when much older men - one a designer I was assisting and the other a well-known actor, now both deceased - thought they had the right to forcibly kiss me, which I didn't complain about at the time, thinking it might damage my reputation.

In recent years I was given a very hard time from a line producer and denied my final week's wages for supporting a female colleague, who, in my opinion, had been wrongly accused of something and suffered as a result. Although I cannot prove this was sexism, I believe that had I been male, I would have won my case. Also I received no support from the union representing me as they said it was a "personal" issue. I think there would have been support if one could have shown the problem was down to sexism, but quite often, even if you know in your gut it is, it's hard to prove and can easily be denied.

There are still far more men than women working in almost every field in the film industry, and it's not because women aren't interested in those jobs. There are not enough films with female protagonists or characters who are more than the obligatory wife, girlfriend or assistant. There are also plenty of parts written for men over 40 and very few for their female counterparts. ED

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'99% of women working in the film and TV industries have experienced sexism'

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I've endlessly found myself in rooms of men and had the experience of feeling I wasn't being heard. It's a confidence thing. Jane Campion has talked about how women need to put on their armour. With Suffragette I was emboldened that there were so many women around me.

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I believe women and girls are expected to behave differently than men. Women and girls are expected to be polite and kind, accommodating, and forgiving in the face of bad behavior, accepting of unwelcome advances, accepting of others emotional expectations, lenient with people being physical with us. Women and girls are expected to respond when spoken to, smile when sad, take care of others when we’re feeling ill or tired, to be the primary nutrients, to be mature, calm, sweet, friendly, responsive… We are told when we’re angry that we’re problematic, we are told when we don’t respond that we’re rude for ghosting, we’re told we can’t say no, that we don’t know our own mind. We are told this by society, by marketing and advertising, by established institutions like schools and churches. Polite behavior is reinforced by clubs and toys and societally accepted behaviors for women and girls. It’s good to be in Girl Scouts not Boy Scouts, girls like crafts and being helpful and fundraising with cookies, how or why would we like campfires and knot tying and shooting arrows and selling Christmas trees instead..? Clothing that is sold for women and girls is focused on a sedentary lifestyle, a sedate one without a need for pockets or knee reinforcement, or durability. Women are expected to refer to their dad, or brother, or boyfriend or husband if the mechanic fixing their car is asking for more money instead of questioning the validity of outrageous and unnecessary costs, not to question complain or demand that the job be redone. Women and girls are ignored when they speak, they’re talked over, then treated as if they are a pariah for demanding respect and courtesy as Kamala Harris did during the debates. There are so many avenues and ways that women and girls are steered to be docile, subservient, well mannered that it would take days to list and surprisingly very little resources about the damage it causes young women to be taught to always be accommodating, to smile and nod and accept what a man says without question. I can’t reinforce enough how terribly detrimental the expectation of politeness from women is for the psychological and emotional well being of women and girls. Agency is rarely questioned in men. Agency is always questioned in women. A woman not learning she has agency when she is young, not learning that she can ignore unwanted conversation, not smile if she is sad, not be kind in the face of rudeness, and not excuse dangerous behavior can lead to the development of people pleasing behavior, dangerous codependent attachments, relationships formed on finding attention rather than mutual admiration and autonomy. Expecting politeness from young girls can lead to girls not understanding the depth of their agency, for example accepting without question someone’s criticism or manipulation and gas lighting rather than understanding that needs and desires and dislikes and boundaries are warranted, valid, acceptable and crucial to a woman’s well being and safety.  A world where women are well behaved regardless of how they really feel is a world where women and girls are abused, sexually assaulted, manipulated, valued less, heard less, seen less and generally have a reduced standard of living and quality of life.  Some interesting links with more information about politeness and gender expectations are listed below.

https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/277811/1-s2.0-S1877042813X00163/1-s2.0-S1877042813011609/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEHUaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQCI4t5sLsQUCTR%2B19L7XWmd40lwz78IHQL%2Fzn1akdBwjwIgURn7oMuNFatoeSZKPZHGCiC5qU%2Fi9WW980z6Wp%2FPHxQq%2BgMIPhAEGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDEr9%2BwcquNYl3MHX4CrXAwhezPR3dB17%2FCChjHQwbg2jaezuw%2BHru%2F9XhSrw0v4ybtBHCOx%2BYLdxaZ%2BIpAgP2aBR%2FoZyJ5GUD1qYT42jbU7pOCCROB053BbLGaTlq3ToN%2FPR5VUJB%2F6YSDv%2FcgvtuD3qP8zpgS%2Fl8fkmpt4RFyNWMFuRvFYymLTM2AYyYwG0KDgjWgS4lB6VvStrJks8CvfcyJJzFCHPtMAhLj5rwLel09EFrtpGKvjeg3ysrIRj02RPUyYS4GPF8njL%2FrjnwyeQjS9rAJ5PUKOJb0UIF%2BuO9N47Ktqcs2mIle669HOyCDBX0osqfg41ayZRSR9VlFKZn4xN%2B8TuUWKdKvqThk1cl7BRhIfTtXC1kc41Qftq45%2F2lJhfYNWArx8eH%2Bfhhw%2ByH9ZX0LlHMhzrhhvVNAqR%2B7UxbUFAmT5MJt73qIOz%2FdLOFLFTtiPWy%2Fn1Ixde2i%2BK80ybnZr076D5dZCoLWAiwQJIDuWKvVb9NK9PaFPGZ1MylLGmqQ9gfx87mOVKShGZMbumX6r8kNlbJf4vhGPL4r9QcLBQCO3C4%2Bg14IjJaSvn7Kf30yCgQ8SnPX9HFnzKHjPyv3MLxcr2mCq6b%2BnqGP6WoydQOO3iLba7byy%2FGB%2FwtMUfNjD62fGMBjqlAcW1gQVvQ7XyvM5UjEOm0yC41BGQSZ6dW96M6zaXGzM0pXEJ7LhciUSsgJrclZUALNzPTSr5JgqYyYikO1jJDZ%2BPZQjfY5qK6BYtQjxVDW5nARM2DVYvrfrvz0LNJtTuOlWH7TqCm0TaTXAk0MHg6721%2FSH3CYT%2BcDsxdyoURt%2F7DpPn%2FBZSBtT%2FXVwDI1KoAL%2B8TZwTNwIOB9Ni1coDIciiiyvtEA%3D%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20211123T055503Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTY2VA4TRHP%2F20211123%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=8e20881210243778f5a6d7052a854e25c41f52c9ad9d8d0e6b0c6da71e994e83&hash=e24ebb27949e67bfeafc3e448de3161d17e44a8227fdb73a8ef9c29a312a09c9&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S1877042813011609&tid=spdf-7f5bee24-b833-461d-9cb6-64a9bada525e&sid=766604b29acf27441269e72274a1a274571agxrqa&type=client

https://youtu.be/PWLu5bVCY8A

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=zseR0JZ3WesC&pg=GBS.PP1&hl=en

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Understanding that sexism is ambivalent, meaning there is two sides to sexism helps to see how the issue of sexism spread. Hostile sexism is one part and the most obvious as it usually is expressed in a negative way. Men whistling at women and grabbing at them as they walk a by is an example of hostile sexism. This form of sexism is the kind that most women stand against and take issue with. However, benevolent sexism is not always seen in a negative way as some women have been influenced by traditional gender roles and don’t challenge them. Being called “baby” or expecting a man to open doors for you are examples of how women lean into benevolent sexism. This issue is important to discuss as sexism needs to be addressed in all ways and on all fronts. The article link below talks about sexism between women. This topic regarding sexism seems to be less examined as sexism in terms of men mistreating women. Women set in traditional gender roles will pass judgement on women that do not, only fuller endorsing the ideas that a women without a husband is a negative concept.

https://pages.nyu.edu/jackson/sex.and.gender/Readings/AmbivalentSexism-Sage17.pdf

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A general overview of a graph regarding what percentage (y-axis) of gender vs race discrimination is seen in women and men with the factor of different race.

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This is simply all but one graph representing a very general view of what discrimination with race and discrimination with gender are within the United States across the years. Relatively, discrimination with the factor of race and discrimination with the factor of gender are essentially the same thing. Both allow those who are oppressed to experience the same situations in terms of self identity, bullying, and singling out. There is a relevant pattern when we look out for studies and graphs regarding discrimination due to gender. This pattern is the fact that women will always be experiencing an increase in a substantial amount of gender discrimination rather than compared to men. The fact remains that this is credible to the ideals of sexism within things like religion that are passed down to down across time and generations. Sexism is an ideology just like any other type of ism's which are taught and ingrained into those who are victim to it. This ideology is learnt from those who believe in the same ideology, usually at a young age. When such ideologies are ingrained in one's mind, especially due to a very young age regarding neuroplasticity, they tend to stick with individuals throughout their life. In religion, women are often portrayed as the less inferior gender. In religions like Islam, the husband has a massive amount of power over the wife, such as the right to the practice of multiple wives, and the right to divorce without reason whereas the women does not have these rights. They must also submit their body to their husbands faithfully or they will be punished. Based off the influence of religion and the sexism ideology, stereotypes are created off of what society believes to fit that specific gender. A common stereotype is that a man must always be strong and never cry because it is a symbol of being cool and showing strength. Another stereotype is where a women is often branded as weak and girlish who does not have the ability to be strong, specifically physically. These stereotypes are so relevant that they can be seen all across the world. In the United States, it can be seen in workplaces, fields, and industries. Different stereotypes are set for different genders which create different cultures. For example, within the film industry, due to a women's body, a type of sex culture has been affiliated with the female gender. Directors will over sexualize a female in any type of media like a movie or video games in order to make appeal to the audience. This can often be seen in Japanese animation cartoons where women are depicted with huge breasts and slender figure more often than not. It is clear to see that there is a distinctive difference of expectations, gender classifications, gender norms, and experiences between men and women.

- Suhaan Chandi

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Sexism and misogyny is blatantly obvious and thriving in every area of society; whether this is in film and television, the government, education, and simple everyday life, the two have been and continue to thrive and flourish. This past summer, I was particularly interested in the debate that sparked up regarding the difference between men and women's uniforms in sports. While this began in a debate referring to beach volleyball (in which this article focuses on), it sparked a realisation for me. Since we are little, we are desensitized to the ways in which little girls are sexualized in sports that we are not even aware there is an issue. Why is it that women's gymnastics requires a skin tight leotard that often times rides up the bottom and they get docked points for adjusting this discomfort, while men's gymnastics uniforms consists of shorts and a tank top? Male dancers are permitted to wear t-shirts and shorts while most strict dance dress codes require that the women wear skin-tight shorts and sport's bras or leotards. And volleyball- why is it necessary for women to have their whole body out but men permitted to wear a normal length of shorts? And why is it that the women face so much backlash and potential disqualification for fighting against these sexist standards? I had never noticed these inequalities and expectations before because I had become so desensitized by them, but they are something that I have been very affected by since I was young. From childhood, girls are taught that their bodies is their most important commodity, and that they must show it off to receive any sort of recognition and it is so strange.
- Emma Simpson

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Skimpy difference: Women’s athletic uniforms vs. men’s

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In many cases, women wear less material playing sports than men. But not always. We explore the reasons why.

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There may be recent growth for women in STEM but it is apparent that men continue to be dominant in the field and history of it. This is due to the systematic gender inequality that still exists in our society that can be seen by the very conservative view on women in STEM. Research produced by women in STEM are not acknowledged or stolen even by their coworkers due to the fact that they are women. The idea behind this is that men are just simply better than women or that the white male is superior to all. That women can not and should not handle something so complicated and be at home taking care of the husband. This can be seen in our history in STEM, specifically with Rosalind Franklin. Rosalind had her photographs of the DNA structure shared without her permission by Raymond Gosling who later was rewarded the Nobel Prize for discovering the double-helix structure of DNA based off of her photo. Women are also given less opportunities and support when pursuing a career in STEM. The Article, Women Scientists Have the Evidence About Sexism by The Altantic, states that 'once a women earns her Ph.D, they receive only 39% of postdoctoral fellowships and 18% of professorships'. This statistic goes to show how little women are given the chance to even participate in a male dominated field despite having the experience and knowledge for it. This all doesn't surprise me that women in STEM are not acknowledged, treated differently and not offered even the opportunity to work in the field. Progress may have been made in recent years but it is very clear that something more extensive needs to be done. Whether, it is training that companies need to provide for their employees to be less bias or targeted support towards women in STEM, there needs to be more action taken.

Grace Hodge

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/women-scientists-have-evidence-about-sexism-science/615823/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/
https://www.aauw.org/app/uploads/2020/03/why-so-few-research.pdfracism-and-sexism-in-science-havent-disappeared/

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When it comes to dress code in schools in America, the girls are always targeted more than the boys. Dress codes are enforced so that the female students do not distract their male peers.  It is also not fair that girls are punished for their male piers not being able to control themselves. Schools clearly pick on girls for their attire more than the boys and its been proven. Two students did a study to show that schools are sexist and full of double standards and that school dress codes punish girls for having bodies. In the experiment both Kenzie and Drew wore a crop top while Kenzie wore leggings and Drew wore shorts above the knee, which is no acceptable according to the dress code. Throughout the day neither of them got dress coded but during seventh period Kenzie was dress coded and told to change, when Drew who had on a shorter crop top and showing more skin and shorter shorts was not. This goes to show that dress codes are made to punish girls and not do anything about how it is designed based on sexism.
- Skylar Briscoe

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How Systems of Gender Inequality Impacts Mental Health

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How Systems of Gender Inequality Impacts Mental Health

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Gender inequalities have always been a big factor on people's mental health. When people create these certain stereotypes for genders it creates this pressure to be as close to those that as possible or even creates pressure to be more than just the stereotype. Gender inequalities has some correlation to wealth inequalities which also impacts a person's mental heavily. Each gender has some difference on what they are struggling with based on their certain inequalities.
-Niko Arcinas

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Uncovering the hidden impacts of inequality on mental health: a global study

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Women are nearly twice as likely as men to suffer from mental illness. This gender disparity in depressive disorders may relate to social inequalities and living standards across nations. Currently, these disparities were not reflected at the level of…

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The gender wage gap illustrates the difference between the average wages paid to women and men in the workforce, oftentimes for the exact same occupation. According to the AAUW, white women make approximately 83 cents for every dollar a white man makes. This gap only widens when we factor in the intersecting aspects of identities that affect this amount as well such as race and ethnicity. For example, Latina women make 57 cents for every dollar a white man makes. Between 1988 and 2019 Latinas’ earning ratio compared to white men changed only 4%, and with this current rate of change it is estimated that Latinas won’t achieve equal pay until the year 2197. Black women also suffer more inequality than white women earning only 63 cents per dollar a white man earns, and Black women face a much wider than average pay gap despite the fact that they participate in the workforce more than most all other women. This inequality is not just exclusive to the comparison to white men, but women earn less than the men in their same race and ethnicity at every level, regardless of education. The pandemic showed a misleading increase in the earning level (lessening the wage gap) not due to being paid higher, but because women were either laid off or had to terminate their employment to tend to family matters. These numbers are not only shocking but unacceptable. Raising the minimum wage, increasing pay transparency, unionizing workplaces, increasing access to childcare, and expanding paid family and medical leave are just a few of the ways to fight this ongoing battle to achieve equity amongst pay in the United States workforce. Women of all backgrounds deserve to earn what they are worth, and the implementation of these strategies to lower the wage gap will hopefully allow us to achieve this goal.

Sources:

https://blog.dol.gov/2021/03/19/5-facts-about-the-state-of-the-gender-pay-gap

https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/latinas-and-the-pay-gap/

https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/black-women-and-the-pay-gap/

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More images can be found on: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/01/09/women-and-men-in-stem-often-at-odds-over-workplace-equity/

As we can see from this  picture, 50 percent of women that work in has experienced gender discrimination at their work place. I feel like due to STEM jobs being in high demand and also pays well, people are trying to compete to get certain spots in the work place. From my personal experience, men seem to be more competitive due what was taught to them when they are young, this leads to women being at a disadvantage when they grow up and are competing for jobs. There's another picture in the link that shows that women are the ones always dealing with less pay, not treated as competent, less action, less support and help, feel isolated to male workers,  denied promotion, and turned down for jobs. I think  all jobs and especially important jobs and positions like STEM should not be determined by gender,  but by how well an individual can perform.
-Devin Lin

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Alyssa Gentry

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Jacqueline Yi

Society often fails to acknowledge that gender inequality, or the disparity in status and power between men and women, continues to exist today. Women remain significantly under-represented in higher-level, executive professions in the workforce, such as large corporations and government offices (United Nations Development Programme, 2014). Further, women have considerably lower income than men on average (Institute for Women's Policy Research, 2014). Traditionally, researchers and politicians have attributed this to individual-level factors, such as the difference between what a male or female employee is willing and able to contribute to a company (Anderson, 2005). However, recent work suggests that ecological-level factors, such as systematic oppression that advantage men and disadvantage women, may provide a more valuable understanding of inequality as it exists today (Ali & Sichel, 2014; Bronfenbrenner, 1992).

According to theorists Glick and Fiske (1996, 2001), an unmistakable form of systematic oppression is hostile sexism, which is defined as any antagonism toward women who challenge male power. Theorists have argued that large corporations and government offices are spaces frequently dominated by men (Glick et al., 2000). A woman competing against a man for a high-ranking position in one of these institutions may face hostile sexism because she is viewed as a threat to the status quo of male authority. However, women are also faced with a more understated type of prejudice called benevolent sexism, in which women are stereotyped as affectionate, delicate, and sensitive (Glick et al., 2000; Frye, 1983). Those who hold benevolent sexist beliefs conceptualize women as weak individuals who need to be protected and provided for (Glick & Fiske, 1996). Although these traits and attitudes seem to encompass behaviors that favor women, research has shown that benevolent sexism is just as oppressive as hostile sexism (Glick & Fiske, 2001). The current literature review explores how benevolent sexism manifests in today's society and, in turn, how benevolent sexism contributes to gender inequality.

Benevolent Sexism In Intrapersonal And Interpersonal Contexts

Benevolent sexism is evident in the interpersonal relationships between men and women. By accepting the ideology of benevolent sexism, women more readily excuse acts of hostile sexism committed by the intimate men in their lives (Glick & Fiske, 2001). Research has shown that people with benevolent sexist beliefs are likely to subscribe to the notion that only "bad girls," who have violated traditional sex role norms by behaving in a manner that invites sexual advances, get raped (Viki & Abrams, 2002). Therefore, the endorsement of benevolent sexism is associated with placing blame on female victims of rape and domestic violence, while dismissing the intentions of male perpetrators (Abrams, Viki, Masser, & Bohner, 2003; Glick, Sakalli-Ugurlu, Ferreira, & Souza, 2002).

There are also more subtle, yet equally destructive interpersonal manifestations of benevolent sexism. Because those who accept benevolent sexist ideas typically perceive women as incompetent outside of domestic roles, men will see themselves as superior to women and will treat them in a patronizing manner (Dardenne et al., 2007). Women do not interpret these condescending behaviors as acts of prejudice, but as protective and caring actions (Glick & Fiske, 2001). Men fail to recognize their benevolent sexist acts as oppressive, and often become fixated on fulfilling their traditional gender roles as the providers in their romantic relationships (Glick & Fiske, 2001; Good & Sanchez, 2009). Therefore, both genders' actions within the framework of benevolent sexism influence each other-with men taking care of women, and women depending on men to take care of them-to the extent where motivation to rework an unjust system is diminished (Becker & Wright, 2011). This pattern is especially evident in today's romance culture, where there are expectations for men to be chivalrous and for women to desire chivalry (Viki, Abrams, & Hutchison, 2003; Lemus, Moya, & Glick, 2010).

Women's experiences within interpersonal interactions that are marked by benevolent sexist attitudes have implications for their internal thought processes as well (Glick & Fiske, 1996). When facing an employer's benevolent sexist attitudes, women doubt their cognitive capabilities and perform significantly worse on executive functioning tasks (Dardenne, Dumont, & Bollier, 2007). Women who hold benevolent sexist beliefs have less ambitious educational and career goals and feel more dependent on their future husbands for financial support (Fernandez, Castro, Otero, Foltz, & Lorenzo, 2006; Rudman & Heppen, 2000). Interestingly, while benevolent sexism has been shown to be a detriment to one's internal thought processes, research has also found that benevolent sexism is positively correlated with one's life satisfaction (Connelly & Heesacker, 2012). Since benevolent sexist beliefs are mistaken as harmless, people accept these ideas more readily, which leads them to become complacent about gender discrimination (Barreto & Ellemers, 2005; Jost & Kay, 2005). Benevolent sexism is manifested in a multitude of ways, and it is crucial to understand how this prevalent ideology perpetuates the existing gender gap.

Benevolent Sexism And Gender Inequality

The role of stereotyping in benevolent sexism. One of the mechanisms through which benevolent sexism contributes to gender inequality is stereotyping. Within the framework of benevolent sexism, males and females are stereotyped with opposing strengths and weaknesses (Glick & Fiske, 1996; Jost & Kay, 2005; Kay & Jost, 2003). Men are given agentic stereotypes, such as being independent, ambitious, and competitive (Jost & Kay, 2005). They are viewed as highly competent, and therefore, well-suited for high-status workplace positions (Glick & Fiske, 2001). In contrast, women are assigned communal stereotypes, such as having nurturing, interdependent, and considerate characteristics, which are suitable for the duties of a proper wife and mother (Good & Sanchez, 2009). While these domestic roles are important to society, they enforce the idea that women are subservient to men, as well as incompetent and incapable without their financial support (Dardenne, Dumont, & Bollier, 2007; Glick & Fiske, 2001). However, since the content of women's communal stereotypes can be perceived as positive, it is difficult to recognize how they justify oppressive gender roles (Jost & Kay, 2005). Men are also less likely to think of female communal stereotypes as sexist, because it is not typical for a sexist perpetrator to endorse positive stereotypes of women (Barreto & Ellemers, 2005). Therefore, both men and women unconsciously promote gender inequality by endorsing benevolent sexist ideas of complementary gender roles (Glick & Fiske, 1996; Glick & Fiske, 2001).

The system-justifying effect of benevolent sexism. Another way that benevolent sexism contributes to gender inequality is through system justification, a cognitive process that occurs in response to a system threat (i.e., an attack on an individual's values and traditions; Stapel & Noordewier, 2011). To counteract the unpleasant or angry feelings a system threat elicits, people may attempt to fulfill their psychological need for structure and predictability by actively endorsing beliefs or stereotypes that legitimize the status quo, regardless of whether these beliefs support their personal interests (Jost & Banaji, 1994). Justifying existing systems is also a way for people to view the society in which they live as fair, even when it is not (Stapel & Noordewier, 2011).

Gender-specific system justification is an instantiation of benevolent sexism, meaning that women justify the patriarchal social systems that they belong to, even though they are essentially supporting their own disadvantages in society (Glick & Fiske, 2001; Russo, Rutto, & Mosso, 2014). Extending beyond mentally rationalizing systems, women who are part of cultures where men frequently hold benevolent sexist attitudes also tend to endorse such sexist beliefs themselves (Glick et al., 2000). By supporting existing forms of sexism, women are adaptively able to convince themselves that the society they are part of is desirable and acceptable, and ultimately reduce the emotional distress of being oppressed (Sibley, Overall, & Duckitt, 2007). Benevolent sexism, compared to hostile sexism, is easier for women to justify because it is disguised with positive stereotypes and seemingly provides personal benefits (e.g., personal protection and idealization from men; Connelly & Heesacker, 2012). Therefore, through system justification, women often perceive benevolent sexism as fair, and thus have fewer difficulties in perpetuating gender inequality through the endorsement of benevolent sexist beliefs held by themselves or others.

Conclusion

Benevolent sexism has various intrapersonal and interpersonal manifestations that have conditioned some women to physically, mentally, and emotionally rely on male partners or family members, making it extremely difficult for them to resist this oppressive ideology. While women who do not fit traditional gender stereotypes are undeniably punished with hostile sexism, women who adhere to these stereotypes, which are rooted in benevolent sexism, are rewarded with adoration (Glick & Fiske, 2001). Thus, certain women do not feel the need to challenge a complementary view of societal gender roles. In addition, through the cognitive process of system justification, women are able to legitimize benevolent sexism even though it promotes their own subjugation (Becker & Wright, 2011; Connelly & Heesacker, 2012). Through endorsing benevolent sexism, society is less likely to challenge the rampant gender inequality that exists today.

Considering benevolent sexism's various manifestations and contributions to gender inequality, researchers and practitioners should develop psychological interventions to bring about social change. First and foremost, both men and women need to be educated about the insidious consequences of prevalent benevolent sexist attitudes. Interventions should also aim to increase men's understanding of benevolent sexism's oppressive nature and help them develop empathy for women who experience gender discrimination (Connelly & Heesacker, 2012). Lastly, both men and women would benefit from interventions that elucidate on the differences between benevolent sexism and politeness (e.g., opening a door for a woman because she is a woman vs. opening a door for a woman to partake in a kind, civil act; Barreto & Ellemers, 2005; Becker & Wright, 2011; Connelly & Heesacker, 2012).

It is important to note that the empirical work on benevolent sexism has several limitations. Since most of the reviewed research is correlational, one cannot establish that the endorsement of benevolent sexism causes an increase in financial dependence on male partners or the endorsement of hostile sexism. In addition, many studies measure benevolent sexist attitudes with self-report methods, which are vulnerable to social desirability bias and errors in self-observation (Tourangeau & Yan, 2007). Finally, the reviewed studies mostly utilize samples of white, heterosexual undergraduate students, and therefore their results are not generalizable to diverse populations that may have different attitudes and practices with regard to gender relations. Most of the research on benevolent sexism is also conducted in cultures with low to medium levels of gender inequality, indicating that many members of these populations tend to view sexism in general as a negative ideology.

Future research should further examine benevolent sexism's manifestations in today's society and how it contributes to gender inequality-for example, exploring the role of benevolent sexism in non-heterosexual relationships. Benevolent sexism may affect women who identify as lesbians differently, because their sexual orientation is considered a significant deviation from the traditional gender roles established by society. Researchers should also aim to expand their work on benevolent sexism in a variety of cultures to better understand its impact on different social and political systems. As future studies build upon the current knowledge of benevolent sexism, society can become more informed on its negative consequences and find effective ways to challenge the rampant gender inequality that exists today.

References

Ali, A., & Sichel, C. (2014). Structural competency as a framework for training in counseling psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 42(7), 901-918.

Abrams, D., Viki, G. T., Masser, B., & Bohner, G. (2003). Perceptions of stranger and acquaintance rape: The role of benevolent and hostile sexism in victim blame and rape proclivity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 111-125.

Anderson, K. L. (2005). Theorizing gender in intimate partner violence research. Sex Roles, 52(11-12), 853-865.

Barreto, M., & Ellemers, N. (2005). The burden of benevolent sexism: How it contributes to the maintenance of gender inequalities. European Journal of Social Psychology, 35(5), 633-642.

Becker, J. C., & Wright, S. C. (2011). Yet another dark side of chivalry: Benevolent sexism undermines and hostile sexism motivates collective action for social change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 62-77.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. (pp. 187-249). London, England: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Connelly, K., & Heesacker, M. (2012). Why is benevolent sexism appealing?: Associations with system justification and life satisfaction. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(4), 432-443.

Dardenne, B., Dumont, M., & Bollier, T. (2007). Insidious dangers of benevolent sexism: Consequences for women's performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(5), 764-779.

Fernández, M. L., Castro, Y. R., Otero, M. C., Foltz, M. L., & Lorenzo, M. G. (2006). Sexism, vocational goals, and motivation as predictors of men's and women's career choice. Sex Roles, 55(3-4), 267-272.

Frye, M. (1983). The politics of reality: Essays in feminist theory. Trumansburg, NY: Crossing Press.

Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491-512.

Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (2001). An ambivalent alliance: Hostile and benevolent sexism as complementary justifications for gender inequality. American Psychologist, 56(2), 109-118.

Glick, P., Fiske, S. T., Mladinic, A., Saiz, J. L., Abrams, D., Masser, B., et al. (2000). Beyond prejudice as simple antipathy: Hostile and benevolent sexism across cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 763-775.

Glick, P., Sakalli-Ugurlu, N., Ferreira, M. C., & Souza, M.A. (2002). Ambivalent sexism and attitudes toward wife abuse in Turkey and Brazil. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26, 292-297.

Good, J. J., & Sanchez, D. T. (2009). Communal stereotypes prime men's benevolent sexism: Implications for romance and family. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 10(1), 88-94.

Hebl, M. R., King, E. B., Glick, P., Singletary, S. L., & Kazama, S. (2007). Hostile and benevolent reactions toward pregnant women: Complementary interpersonal punishments and rewards that maintain traditional roles. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(6), 1499-1511.

Hoffman, C., & Hurst, N. (1990). Gender stereotypes: Perception or rationalization? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(2), 197-208.

Institute for Women's Policy Research. (2014). The gender wage gap: 2013. Retrieved from http://www.iwpr.org/publications/pubs/the-gender-wage-gap-2013-differences-by-race-and-ethnicity-no-growth-in-real-wages-for-women

Jost, J. T., & Banaji, M. R. (1994). The role of stereotyping in system-justification and the production of false consciousness. British Journal of Social Psychology, 33(1), 1-27.

Jost, J. T., & Kay, A. C. (2005). Exposure to benevolent sexism and complementary gender stereotypes: Consequences for specific and diffuse forms of system justification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(3), 498-509.

Kay, A. C., & Jost, J. T. (2003). Complementary justice: Effects of "poor but happy" and "poor but honest" stereotype exemplars on system justification and implicit activation of the justice motive. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(5), 823-837.

Kilianski, S. E., & Rudman, L. A. (1998). Wanting it both ways: Do women approve of benevolent sexism? Sex Roles, 39(5-6), 333-352.

Lemus, S., Moya, M., & Glick, P. (2010). When contact correlates with prejudice: Adolescents' romantic relationship experience predicts greater benevolent sexism in boys and hostile sexism in girls. Sex Roles, 63, 214-225.

Russo, S., Rutto, F., & Mosso, C. (2014). Benevolent sexism toward men: Its social legitimation and preference for male candidates. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 17(4), 465-473.

Sibley, C. G., Overall, N. C., & Duckitt, J. (2007). When women become more hostilely sexist toward their gender: The system-justifying effect of benevolent sexism. Sex Roles, 57(9-10), 743-754.

Stapel, D. A., & Noordewier, M. K. (2011). The mental roots of system justification: System threat, need for structure, and stereotyping. Social Cognition, 29(3), 238-254.

Viki, G. T., & Abrams, D. (2002). But she was unfaithful: Benevolent sexism and reactions to rape victims who violate traditional gender role expectations. Sex Roles, 47(5-6), 289-293.

Viki, G. T., Abrams, D., & Hutchison, P. (2003). The "true" romantic: Benevolent sexism and paternalistic chivalry. Sex Roles, 49(9-10), 533-537.

United Nations Development Programme. (2014). Human development report 2014. New York: Oxford University Press.

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The Role of Benevolent Sexism in Gender Inequality

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Jacqueline Yi Society often fails to acknowledge that gender inequality, or the disparity in status and power between men and women, continues to exist today. Women remain significantly under-represented in higher-level, executive professions in the workforce, such as large corporations and government offices (United Nations Development Programme, 2014).

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First I will discuss hostile sexism to give a better context for benevolent sexism. Hostile sexism is blatant, outright, aggressive discrimination towards women. It holds negative beliefs about women being incompetent, inferior, overly emotional, etc, and seeks to punish individuals who threaten or violate what they believe gender roles should be. Benevolent sexism is more understated and disguised as positive. Benevolent sexism is when women are stereotyped as nurturing, sensitive, delicate, affectionate, and have a need for men to protect them. The picture above gives some contrasting examples that provide further understanding of the difference. Though benevolent sexism isn't as obvious as hostile sexism, it is still present and just as oppressive. Over time, hostile sexism has become socially unacceptable, so those who continue sexism have had to change the form in which they do it, resulting in benevolent sexism. Benevolent sexism is detrimental because it maintains that women are inferior than men, confines them to a limiting amount of roles and careers, and presents itself in a way that makes people comfortable with it. It is also much easier for women to internalize the beliefs because they are seemingly positive, creating a great issue because they then do not fight against it.
Alyssa Gentry

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When it comes to systematic gender inqualities they are everywhere. And in most places it is that white cis women get less than white cis men for doing just as much or even more. Then you bring in QTPOC Queer Trans People of Color its on a whole other level of them not recieving the same in regards to anything ever in comparison to white cis men and women. I gets even worse. From unequal pay to sexual assualt to many other things that come with existing as a non cis white man.

I'll be going more into depth with dress codes though. For the most part dress codes tend to apply more to people who are seen or present as feminine. The dress codes always depend of the school and where it may be located. But the gist of it is no thin tank tops no bottoms above the knee and no stomach chest. I think them applying dress codes is wrong in the first place most of the time their excuse is that the boys will get distracted boys/it is not appropriate for the staff not to be disgusting like that how about instead you teach boys/men more.

Bianca Gutierrez

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Sexism is defined as prejudice, stereotyping, ot discrimination, typicaly against women, on the basis of sex. Occupation Sexism (called sexism within the workplace) is discrimination based on a person's sex that occurs in the place of employment. Misogyny can take many forms within the workplace. There are cases of sexism against men, however it is by far more common for instances against women to occur. Occupational Sexism or O.C. too make it easier, is thought to have derived from the histroically traditional roles that men and women were placed in to. Men were expected to by the breadwinners and women were expected to stay home and take care of the kids. These roles have developed into stereotyes in which are now negitvetly affecting women's equal opprotunity in the workplace. Occupational Sexism can generally be identified within two categories: hostile and benevolent. Hostile Sexism is shown through any form of demeaning. Within a Hostile Sexism, a hiearchy influence enviorment may develop but in this case the bases be bases of off gender not status. Another example would be a male refusing to do a task because he believes it is a "women's task". Benevolent Sexism presents itself in more subtle ways. It is the idea that women NEED someone and NEED to be taken care of by the likes of men. An example of this would be assingning a co-lead to an assignmnet that is a one person job when the leader is a women or refusing to invite a women to a later meaning because they think that she would rather take care of her children and home. Example of occupational sexism include gender labeling, demeaning "jokes", physical focus (comments about physical appearence), and stereotyping tasks. These example are the reasons why women face such drastic occupation disparities such as the wage gap and or seeking promotion/advancement. Here are some way we can combat this:

Speak out when you see sexism happening

Ensure equal contributions are welcomed

Allow everyone to talk in meetings

Question your own assumptions and beliefs

Double check how you talk and if you make sexist jokes

Reframe discussions

Look out for stereotypes

-Zan Lederer

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Unfortunately gender inequality is common in every field and profession, but the inequality in the film industry is something that is very interesting to me. It didn't only show through who was making what movies. but it also showed through the movies themselves. In an industry that was so male dominated it was absurdly common to see women in film being displayed in overly sexual ways simply for the men's enjoyment, and this is known as "The Male Gaze". This can be seen in many different movies where a woman is simply made into an object for viewers to look at and admire for their body, but not their acting. This trend has been slowly becoming outdated as women have begun taking more serious roles and a little more control, but still lingers in the industry here and there. However that doesn't fix the shortage of female filmmakers in the industry. In 1998 the percentage was 9 percent and only rose to thirteen percent by 2019, and even less percentage for female cinematographers. Thankfully there have been some very strong female directors that have made a name for themselves in the industry, such as Greta Gerwig, Chloe Zhao, Patty Jenkins and Deborah Chow just to name a few. Hopefully their success can lead to women being more common in the film industry allowing them to show their talent to the world.

Brandon LaChance

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There are people who believe that sexual assault is less of an issue than people make it out to be, but that is not true. Every sixty-eight seconds, a person in the US is sexually harassed and/or raped. This article goes over the intersectionality in sexual harassment rates and who is more likely to be a victim of attempted or completed rape in the US. It goes over age, race, and gender. It explains that one in every six girls and women are victims of this violence, while one in every thirty-three boys and men are victims. This is only one layer of identity, so when you add race or age to the mix, the rates increase. A Black, trans woman is going to have a different level of risk than a cis, Native man. Generally, women are more likely to be sexually assaulted than men are, but it is not impossible for it to happen the other way. We need to get rid of the stigma that men are never harassed and that women are making a big deal or nothing.

-Alex Hagerstrand

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On average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.¹

Younger People Are at the Highest Risk of Sexual Violence

Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years for rape and sexual assault.³

Those age 65 and older are 92% less likely than 12-24 year olds to be a victim of rape or sexual assault, and 83% less likely than 25-49 year olds.⁴

Read more statistics about about child sexual abuse.
Women and Girls Experience Sexual Violence at High Rates

Millions of women in the United States have experienced rape.

As of 1998, an estimated 17.7 million American women had been victims of attempted or completed rape.⁵

Young women are especially at risk.

82% of all juvenile victims are female. 90% of adult rape victims are female.⁶

Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.³

Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence. Females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are 4 times more likely.⁷

Read more statistics about campus sexual violence.

Men and Boys Are Also Affected by Sexual Violence

Millions of men in the United States have been victims of rape.

As of 1998, 2.78 million men in the U.S. had been victims of attempted or completed rape.⁵

About 3% of American men-or 1 in 33-have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.⁵

1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.

Transgender Students Are at Higher Risk for Sexual Violence

21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.

Sexual Violence Can Have Long-Term Effects on Victims

The likelihood that a person suffers suicidal or depressive thoughts increases after sexual violence.

94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape.⁹

30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape.10

33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide.¹¹

13% of women who are raped attempt suicide.¹¹

Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime.¹²

People who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to use drugs than the general public.

3.4 times more likely to use marijuana

6 times more likely to use cocaine

10 times more likely to use other major drugs

Sexual violence also affects victims' relationships with their family, friends, and co-workers. ¹²

38% of victims of sexual violence experience work or school problems, which can include significant problems with a boss, coworker, or peer.

37% experience family/friend problems, including getting into arguments more frequently than before, not feeling able to trust their family/friends, or not feeling as close to them as before the crime.

84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.

79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.

67% of survivors who were victimized by a stranger experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.

Victims are at risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Studies suggest that the chance of getting pregnant from one-time, unprotected intercourse is between 3.1-5%¹³, depending on a multitude of factors, including the time of month intercourse occurs, whether contraceptives are used, and the age of the female. The average number of rapes and sexual assaults against females of childbearing age is approximately 250,000. Thus, the number of children conceived from rape each year in the United States might range from 7,750-12,500.¹² This is a very general estimate, and the actual number may differ. This statistic presents information from a number of different studies. Further, this information may not take into account factors which increase or decrease the likelihood of pregnancy, including, but not limited to: impact of birth control or condom use at the time of attack or infertility. RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review sources for more information and detail.

Native Americans Are at the Greatest Risk of Sexual Violence

On average, American Indians ages 12 and older experience 5,900 sexual assaults per year.¹⁴

American Indians are twice as likely to experience a rape/sexual assault compared to all races.

41% of sexual assaults against American Indians are committed by a stranger; 34% by an acquaintance; and 25% by an intimate or family member.

Sexual Violence Affects Thousands of Prisoners Across the Country

An estimated 80,600 inmates each year experience sexual violence while in prison or jail. ¹⁵

60% of all sexual violence against inmates is perpetrated by jail or prison staff.¹⁵

More than 50% of the sexual contact between inmate and staff member-all of which is illegal-is nonconsensual.¹⁵

Sexual Violence in the Military Often Goes Unreported

6,053 military members reported experiencing sexual assault during military service in FY 2018. DoD estimates about 20,500 service members experienced sexual assault that year. ¹⁶

DoD estimates 6.2% of active duty women and 0.7% of active duty men experienced sexual assault in FY 2018.

Understanding RAINN's statistics

Sexual violence is notoriously difficult to measure, and there is no single source of data that provides a complete picture of the crime. On RAINN's website, we have tried to select the most reliable source of statistics for each topic. The primary data source we use is the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which is an annual study conducted by the Justice Department. To conduct NCVS, researchers interview tens of thousands of Americans each year to learn about crimes that they've experienced. Based on those interviews, the study provides estimates of the total number of crimes, including those that were not reported to police. While NCVS has a number of limitations (most importantly, children under age 12 are not included), overall, it is the most reliable source of crime statistics in the U.S.

We have also relied on other Justice Department studies, as well as data from the Department of Health and Human Services and other government and academic sources. When assembling these statistics, we have generally retained the wording used by the authors. Statistics are presented for educational purposes only. Each statistic includes a footnote citation for the original source, where you can find information about the methodology and a definition of terms.

Learn more about RAINN's statistics.

Sources:​

1. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, 2019 (2020). Note: RAINN applies a 5-year rolling average to adjust for changes in the year-to-year NCVS survey data.

2. i. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sex Offenses and Offenders (1997); ii. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Crimes Against the Elderly, 2003-2013 (2014).

3. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sex Offenses and Offenders (1997).

4. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Crimes Against the Elderly, 2003-2013 (2014).

5. National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey (1998). (Statistic presents information on the total number of male and female victims in the United States, using a study from 1998. Because the U.S. population has increased substantially since then, it is probable that the number of victims has, as well. RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review any and all sources for more information and detail.)

6. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement (2000).

7. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Rape and Sexual Victimization Among College-Aged Females, 1995-2013 (2014).

8. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Female Victims of Sexual Violence, 1994-2010 (2013).

9. D.S. Riggs, T. Murdock, W. Walsh, A prospective examination of post-traumatic stress disorder in rape victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress 455-475 (1992).

10. J. R. T. Davidson & E. B. Foa (Eds.) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: DSM-IV and Beyond. American Psychiatric Press: Washington, DC. (pp. 23-36).

11. DG Kilpatrick, CN Edumuds, AK Seymour. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. Arlington, VA: National Victim Center and Medical University of South Carolina (1992).

12. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Socio-emotional Impact of Violent Crime (2014).

13. Allen J. Wilcox, David B. Dunson, Clarice R. Weinberg, James Trussell, and Donna Day Baird, Likelihood of Contraception with a Single Act of Intercourse: Providing Benchmark Rates for Assessment of Post-Coital Contraceptives, Contraception Journal, (2001).

14. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, American Indians and Crime, 1992-2002 (2004).

15. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011-2012 (2013).

16. Department of Defense, Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, (2020).

17. David Cantor, Bonnie Fisher, Susan Chibnall, Reanna Townsend, et. al. Association of American Universities (AAU), Report on the AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct (September 21, 2015). (" Victim services agency" is defined in this study as a "public or privately funded organization that provides victims with support and services to aid their recovery, offer protection, guide them through the criminal justice process, and assist with obtaining restitution." RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review any and all sources for more information and detail.)

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1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.

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Sexism refers to discrimination based on the sex or gender of someone, especially women and girls. Women most of the time are discriminated against because of their sex, and their abilities are underestimated. Sexism with racism made it hard for some people of color to obtain their dreams. Throughout history, women have always faced different types of inequality and prejudice, from the right of holding property to the most recent act of reproductive justice that affected women’s function in society. Besides, women in the workplace have always been discriminated against. There is sexism in the workplace, from lower pay rate, lower career highs (there are more male CEOs than female CEOs) which is compounded by women still experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, and in many cases, women must keep quiet because that is the only way that they can support themselves and their families. Which are the reasons women had to start the “me too movements. Sexism and gender discrimination in the workplace affect society in detrimental ways which is why it is considered a point of contention in social discussions. People must appreciate qualification and experience rather than considering the race, or gender of anyone. Sexism in the workplace can happen in two forms, Hostile which is considered interfere to with men’s work and they would be considered more emotional, and this type of thinking led to sexual harassment and assault of women. The second type is generous sexism where women are considered to take care of men and be kind to them, and for men to be a provider for women. In the workplace, these kinds of actions would be considered occupational sexism.

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Reading through Unicef’s education section, we find that they are investing in girl’s education all around the world. They explain that they want to strengthen their education to help reduce inequality and include safety while in classrooms. Unicef speaks about how classrooms help support them in subjects and careers that women would want to pursue. The reason why girls are not in school is because of many different issues. These issues are having to deal with poverty, child marriages, and gender-based-violence from different countries. Poor families tend to favor and invest education onto their sons rather than their daughters. Other places do not help supply the safety, hygiene or sanitation needs of girls or also teaching practices are not gender responsive and result in gender gaps in learning and skills development. I am glad that UNICEF is tackling these issues globally to help provide education to the less fortunate, especially women’s education. Minorities and women separately are not well represented, but combining both aspects make it even more difficult due to lack of privilege. It is very disheartening to hear that these stories are happening around the world, but great to see that people are trying to promote gender equality and educational equality.
- Giosel Reyes

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Investing in girls' education transforms communities, countries and the entire world. Girls who receive an education are less likely to marry young and more likely to lead healthy, productive lives. They earn higher incomes, participate in the decisions that most affect them, and build better futures for themselves and their families.

Girls' education strengthens economies and reduces inequality. It contributes to more stable, resilient societies that give all individuals - including boys and men - the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

But education for girls is about more than access to school. It's also about girls feeling safe in classrooms and supported in the subjects and careers they choose to pursue - including those in which they are often under-represented.

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Gender equality in education benefits every child.

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Differences in How Boys and Girls Experience Schooling

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Differences in How Boys and Girls Experience Schooling

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Let’s discuss the issue of the differences between how girls and boys experience education. Being a student in college I’ve realized that pretty much throughout my entire education boys have always been more outspoken in the classroom than girls. I feel as if girls are made to feel as if they have to abide by the gender norms put into play by society. I feel as if males dominate the classroom and it’s because the teacher’s first choice is usually a boy. These gender roles being shown really create a toxic environment for students. What are ways we can fix this issue? Schools really need to start improving the curriculum being taught to children. Make sure the representation is equal to both females and males. Cognitive development theory seeks the ways children acquire a sense of gender identity and how they see themselves and others gender wise. As children grow up they will internally set standards appropriate for females and males. Their social experiences and how they are brought up will reflect on their behavior. Children’s understanding of gender is still very limited because of set, concrete, rules and norms. Teachers and professors also need to make sure they are calling on an equal amount of girls and boys. Girls in general need to feel more empowered to be able to speak up. This is something I plan on working on forever.
-Ashley Mitchell

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Black Trans Women and Housing Insecurity

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Black Trans Women and Housing Insecurity

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Although there are many housing assistance programs that are geared toward supporting LGBTQ+ youth, those that age out of these systems (which can range from 18 years to 24 years old) have limited options for seeking permanent, or even temporary, shelter. Black trans women are especially at risk of being discriminated against when searching for homes and are more likely to experience homelessness after exiting the system. According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, "one in five trans individuals have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives"; however, for Black trans women, the number is higher.

Once they age out of housing programs, trans adults have few housing options. Trans women have the option to locate to women's shelters, but this tends to be an uncomfortable environment considering that the women already living there "do not want [them] there." During the Trump administration, for example, transgender individuals seeking shelter at federally funded homeless shelters would also be turned away. Overall, the main reason why there is a lack of support for the trans adult population is because public policy focuses more on youth-oriented LGBTQ+ housing assistance.

While the statistics for Black trans folks experiencing homelessness is higher than other groups, the data in general is lacking/gives an imprecise image. This is because some respondents may conceal their identity as trans during annual Point-in-Time counts. In addition, experiencing homelessness increases their risks of chronic health issues and substance abuse. The issue becomes more complex when combined with job discrimination and heightened police interaction.

-Caitlin Aquino

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W hile LGBTQ+-focused youth programs and housing assistance are growing across the U.S. and in Washington, D.C., transgender adults are being left behind after aging out of these programs in their mid-20s.

"The system, the city does not do well," said Earline Budd, a D.C.-area advocate for over 35 years and a non-medical case manager at the nonprofit Honoring Individual Power and Strength, or HIPS, which specializes in harm reduction.

Many housing programs for LGBTQ+ people across the country are geared toward youth, with an aged-based cutoff at 24.

After aging out of that system, there are limited avenues for care aside from general long-term shelters, safe houses and affordable housing. But these options are limited and can be dangerous for trans populations because of continued violence and ongoing discrimination against the group. In 2020, at least 44 trans people were killed in the United States.

Budd, who transitioned at 13 and experienced homelessness, substance use disorder and incarceration, came into the field because of her personal experiences with the system.

"We're trying to figure out, how do we help people beyond 24," she said. "People are literally ... dying on the street because they cannot get housing."
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Read Street Roots' Trans Is Beautiful edition
One in five transgender individuals have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality, and these numbers are increased for transgender individuals of color, especially Black trans women.

In her work at HIPS, Budd has seen the lack of affordable housing first-hand. She inputs clients to various waiting lists for housing, but in most cases, the wait in getting assistance is years, she said.

"You're praying and hoping that one of your clients gets selected for housing, but in most cases, a lot of times they don't get to yours," Budd said. "And unfortunately, I've had clients, even as recent as like 30 days ago, I've had clients that have died before getting housing."

Long-term shelters not specified to be LGBTQ+-affirming are often an unsafe and dangerous route for transgender individuals, said Tamika Spellman, an advocacy director at HIPS.

"As a trans woman, we in D.C., we have the option to have a women's shelter," she said. "And a lot of times it's not a healthy environment because the women do not want us there, so it's uncomfortable for them. It's uncomfortable for us."

But shelters slated for men aren't an option either, she said, as violence is common against trans women in men's shelters.

High rates of homelessness are a result of family rejection, housing discrimination, and job discrimination, Spellman said. There has been a systemic problem on a "historical basis" when it comes to equity, she said.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that we have not advanced at any time or point to where there is greater stability when it comes to transgender women," Spellman said. "The rest of the LGBTQ umbrella are generally taken care of. They left out the T."

Why is there little support for transgender adults?

The main reason that LGBTQ+ housing assistance is youth-oriented is a lack of "compensation or concentration" around the transgender adult population, according to Budd.

Spellman added that there's a "huge gap" in services for those in their mid-20s, which she's experienced personally. Spellman, now 60, said when she was growing up, youth services for ages 18-24 were not in existence.

"By the time they actually came into existence, I was already aged out the system, and it left me out there in the streets trying to figure it out myself," she said.

Dr. Jennifer Glick, an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and frequent scholar of transgender health and housing, said there's little programming for older individuals because most research is focused on LGBTQ+ youth. "Then, their data drives initiatives for young people," Glick said.

Niko Kowell of the San Francisco Community Health Center said research and resource development focuses on LGBTQ+ youth because it's easier to empathize with that age group.

"Which just seems very short sighted to me," he said. "Particularly with the trans community, there are so many elements to why there might be barriers to housing."

Data on trans homelessness, in general, is also lacking, said Joy Moses, the director of the Homelessness Research Institute at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Statistics are mostly taken from Point-in-Time counts that take place annually to track the rates of homelessness. Because the count takes place on one night and relies on volunteers, it's likely that people and areas are missed. Respondents may also conceal their identity as LGBTQ+ or trans, depending on who's asking and the nature of the situation, Moses said.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced in April that transgender people would be protected from discrimination at federally funded homeless shelters, scrapping a Trump-era rule that would have allowed shelters to turn away transgender individuals. Budd said actions like this are a positive sign.

"I applaud the Biden administration," Budd said. "I believe that Biden is doing all that you can do right now. I'm trying to give them a little bit of time, he's only been in office for 100 days."

Trans homelessness is cyclical, experts say

High rates of trans homelessness are a "cyclical" problem, Glick said, and the issue needs to be approached from multiple angles and levels.

"Trans, nonbinary folks are set up at an early age," Glick said. "They face family rejection, they face discrimination in schools, which then sets them up to not necessarily have access to high-quality education, access to high-paid employment that comes with health care, etc."

Homelessness increases the risk of health issues, and these are exacerbated by being unhoused and unsheltered, according to a study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness . Chronic health issues and substance are much more likely to occur among unsheltered populations versus those who are sheltered and homeless.

Trans adults typically have a deeper level of mistrust in the shelter system and medical care systems, especially elders, said Sydney Kopp-Richardson, the director of the National LGBT Elder Housing Initiative at SAGE.

"If you've had an entire lifetime of not trusting medical providers because of medical trauma, that catches up with you as you age," she said.

Job security and hiring discrimination also contribute to high rates of homelessness among trans populations.

A 2015 study by the D.C. Office of Human Rights found 48% of employers appeared to prefer at least one less-qualified applicant perceived as cisgender over a more-qualified applicant perceived as transgender, and 33% of employers offered interviews to one or more less-qualified applicants perceived as cisgender while not offering an interview to at least one of the more-qualified applicants perceived as transgender.

Even with a political science degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Spellman herself struggled to find employment for years.

"It's sad to say that it took me until I was 50 years old as a Black transgender woman with a college degree, to gain employment," Spellman said.

Trans individuals and LGBTQ+ youth often turn to sex work at a young age to survive and earn money independently to avoid the structure and requirements of many housing programs, she said.

"A lot of times it starts out with them getting caught up in life and not having a safe place to go," Spellman said. "A lot of the trans and LGBTQ+ youth turn to sex work as an easy way to provide for themselves, and to get housing without restriction."

Interaction with police is heightened when unsheltered, as is the need for emergency room visits. These statistics increase further when comparing unsheltered Black transgender individuals and white transgender individuals. For example, 23% of Black respondents cited police contacts while 19% of white respondents cited interaction.

Spellman has worked with No Justice No Pride on this issue in the past few years, which is a trans, sex worker-led abolitionist collective providing housing and resources in Washington, D.C.

"Criminalization of sex work is criminalization of poverty," Spellman said.

Alternative housing models and government involvement is needed

Advocates have cited a variety of solutions to the ongoing high levels of transgender individuals experiencing homelessness. Some look to government involvement, and others prefer an alternative approach.

Budd said the government needs to be involved in solutions. She is working with the D.C. Council and government agencies like the D.C. Housing Authority to reinvest funds into housing assistance programs for trans adults over 24.

Alternative models like safe houses and mutual aid organizing work, but there needs to be adequate resources to tackle the issue, she said. Some individuals need structure in combination with housing, as well. Coordinating services to tackle mental health issues and substance abuse is necessary, Budd said, in addition to housing.

"I'm not putting anyone down because of that," she said. "One has to address those issues before you start to go on and take on a whole apartment and do all the things that one wants to do."

Other advocates, including Spellman, are fans of grassroots and mutual aid organizing to help trans adults aged out of the system, like the work No Justice No Pride does, instead of increased government involvement.

"A lot of these programs, especially for LGBTQ youth, have a lot of requirements and restrictions that keep a lot of people from not really wanting to engage with it. Everybody doesn't need structure," Spellman said.

Glick, with other researchers, published a study in 2020 that outlined solutions to housing instability among transgender populations in the U.S. Many respondents raised the importance of trans-inclusive shelter projects, societal prioritization of housing and raising the minimum wage.

Alternative models like the five safe houses No Justice No Pride operates in the District are effective, Spellman said. Long-term and permanent assistance is offered in addition to short-term and emergency accommodations.

No Justice No Pride follows a "housing-first model," Spellman said, where there are few requirements needed to receive help.

"Housing creates a stable environment for people to grow and change," she said. "And even if they don't, they still deserve housing."

The organization also offers connections with lawyers, health providers, healing spaces with trauma-informed mentors and name- and gender-change guidance.
Courtesy of Street Sense Media / INSP.ngo
"When it comes to housing, we need to be outside of the box," Spellman said. "And we need to take into consideration people's circumstances and situations. There are nuances."

Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.

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When trans people age out of homeless services, often there's nowhere to turn

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W hile LGBTQ+-focused youth programs and housing assistance are growing across the U.S. and in Washington, D.C., transgender adults are being left behind after aging out of these programs in their mid-20s.

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Gender Inequality in the Workplace- Sara Corkran

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Gender Inequality in the Workplace- Sara Corkran

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Gender inequality in the workplace is a problem that has always existed and I believe will continue to exist unless serious changes are made. A major inequality in the workplace is of course the wage gap that exists between men and women which has a national average of 84% in 2020. This number becomes worse when we factor in intersectionality and race with women of color facing a larger wage gap. In her article about the gender inequality issue, “Gender inequality in the workplace: The fight against bias”, Maggie Wooll highlights that women of color, LGBTQ+ women and especially black women face obstacles in moving into leadership positions. She also talks about the issue of microaggressions which could be insensitive questions, offensive statements or commonplace statements that can be intentionally and unintentionally hostile or derogative. Women might face these because of race , sexuality, gender and sexual identity.

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School Dress Codes Discriminate Against Girls 

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School Dress Codes Discriminate Against Girls 

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Most school boards back their dress codes with the fact that if there weren't guidelines or rules in place, then apparel would become too distracting for students to focus in class. The issue with this is that the only people who these school boards find distracting to other students is the female population of the school. But why specifically girls? Because women and girls are specialized as soon as they step into society. Why is a school board of grown adults and a percentage being men sexualizing elementary and middle school girls' bodies and stating them as being a distraction because of this, I don’t know and I’m not sure if I want to. Boys are allowed to take their shirts off when playing basketball during breaks or recess at some schools and yet if a shirt fits too tightly around the breast’s of a young girl who didn’t ask to have them, they get sent to the office and get in trouble for it. This is just one small example.

Now this overall issue of discrimination leads into even deeper rooted issues. If a girl gets called out of class into the office once every week for dress code violations up to forty five minutes at a time, that’s almost an entire middle school class period. That means that every week, she’s missing information for an entire period. So who is really the one getting distracted from their school work? Another deeper rooted issue is sexism and discrimination against specifically black women and girls and women and girls of color. An example to explain this would be that black girls develop their bodies and become curvier at a much younger age. This means that by 13, a girl could be fully developed in the hip and breast department. That is just how the body works and there’s no way to stop it. Because of this, black girls are disproportionately targeted for breaking dress code simply due to the shape that their body has developed into by no choice of their own. This also means that black girls lose even more class time and education than others among the female population at the school.

Not only are boys and girls not equally held accountable for following dress codes, but girls are also unfairly accused and targeted for breaking dress codes based on what they're getting coded for in comparison.

Abbot Lincoln

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Gender Disparities in Paid-Leave for Parents

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Gender Disparities in Paid-Leave for Parents

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Gender inequality is a prevalent issue in the workplace, with frequent disparities observed within corporate entities and businesses. This article starts off by highlighting the statistic that one-third of Fortune 500 companies offer twice as much paid leave to mothers than to fathers after the birth of their child. With an increasing cultural shift in recognizing the care value of both mothers and fathers, or more generally, of two parents, this sort of unbalanced child-care leave system reinforces the patriarchal notion that mothers should put their families and children above their work while fathers should put their work above their families and children. Systems such as these presuppose women as primary caregivers while automatically ruling men as the secondary caregivers in any familial dynamic. By drawing child-care leave along strict gender lines, companies not only inhibit, to some extent, women’s ability to truly reach high positions in their companies or businesses, but it also carries significant negative effects on fathers and their ability to connect with their children and formulate those close relationships during the critical early stages of child development.

The article further adds that although there are policies such as the Family and Medical Leave Act which offer unpaid leave to fathers, this is oftentimes impractical or just not financially feasible for many families across America. Not only does this then exacerbate the gender disparity, it also targets families of lower socioeconomic class who lose out on the opportunity for their families to grow and stabilize together, with a strong presence of both parents, as they are unable to sacrifice paid work for time off.

Studies show that having a unified, cooperative family not only provides the child with a better life, but also improves the overall moods and relationships of the parents involved. Heteronormative, sexist child-leave policies double-down on a stereotypical notion of women as child-carers and men as bread-winners, and by continuing these disparities, women’s role in the workforce is impacted and men lose out on some of the important aspects of parenthood.

(I have also included a graph, in a different post, showing the statistics of global averages for paternity leave from 2016).

- Daniela Kuthy-Cervantes

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Paternity leave is ignored by corporate America — and that’s a problem for women

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Seventy-two percent of Fortune 500 companies offer some sort of paid parental leave, but fathers are generally considered secondary to mothers.

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- Daniela Kuthy-Cervantes

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Women’s Experiences often overlooked in healthcare

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Women’s Experiences often overlooked in healthcare

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According to feminist writer Maya Dusenbery, author of Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick, women’s experiences have been overlooked or discounted in doctor’s offices—and in medical and scientific research. Diseases that disproportionately affect women—like autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and many chronic pain conditions—have been under-researched, leaving doctors without a clear understanding of how to recognize and treat them. And doctors dismiss the accounts of women patients too often, leading to a “trust gap” that affects women’s health care in disproportionately negative ways.

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Are women and men receiving equally good care from their physicians? Not according to feminist writer Maya Dusenbery, author of the new book Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick. Instead, she argues, the medical field is rife with gender disparities, leading to poorer outcomes for women.

Throughout history, women's experiences have been overlooked or discounted in doctor's offices-and in medical and scientific research, she writes. So where has that left us today? Diseases that disproportionately affect women-like autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and many chronic pain conditions-have been under-researched, leaving doctors without a clear understanding of how to recognize and treat them. And doctors dismiss the accounts of women patients too often, leading to a "trust gap" that affects women's health care in disproportionately negative ways.

However, new insights are beginning to emerge showing how women's well-being has been hampered by gender disparities. Dusenbery's book, based on two years of research into a host of conditions, exposes the systemic causes of these disparities and provides critically relevant information for the public-and for those in medicine, psychology, and the research sciences.
Jenara Nerenberg: What is the "trust gap" in medicine for women?
Maya Dusenbery: I started calling this issue the trust gap as I started reading research and learning of anecdotes from women who were having a hard time getting diagnosed. Their symptoms were being dismissed or minimized, there was an implication that their physical symptoms were all in their heads, and they were simply being offered anti-depressants or told they were "making their symptoms up" to get attention.

As a feminist writer, I wasn't surprised to find that women's voices weren't being listened to. But I wasn't sure which exact stereotype was operating here-like why doctors seemed to think women wouldn't know that they were actually sick and needed medical attention.

As I dug into the research, I found this enduring trust gap had its roots in our notions of "hysteria" this so-called disease of the 19th and 20th centuries. After Freud, it became a wastebasket category where anything that couldn't be medically explained was attributed to the unconscious mind, which is convenient and dangerous. So if collectively the field of medicine has this idea-that if a symptom doesn't seem to be explained by a physical disease, you can blame it on the patient's psychological problems-then they're just not going to do the scientific research that's required to explain those symptoms in biological terms.
JN: How did we get here? Is this current gap only a function of the history and evolution of the medical field?
MD: It's in part due to gender stereotypes that exist across many realms, where we expect men to be stoic and not admit vulnerability or weakness. A man is thus already more reluctant to seek help in the first place; so, when he actually does, his reports of his symptoms are taken more seriously. Women are culturally given more permission to express emotion and pain and ask for help. But somehow that leads to this sense that they should not be taken as seriously, which is illogical, of course.

History has made women caught in this self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, autoimmune issues are estimated to affect 50 million people in the United States, and 75 percent of them are women. So, they're very common, and yet the medical system is pretty bad at diagnosing them. There often aren't autoimmune specialists, and many primary care doctors don't get proper training on how to diagnose them.

Many patients end up going to multiple doctors over many years complaining of fatigue and pain before they're properly diagnosed. That not only means a long diagnostic delay; but each doctor she sees on that journey often doesn't hear that four years later she ends up getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. And so doctors get the impression that their offices are filled with women who are complaining of symptoms that aren't explained.
JN: Does the trust gap shrink when doctors and nurses are themselves women, or are there larger forces at work keeping this gap open?
MD: I didn't come across any systematic research on that. But of the women I interviewed, plenty of them had stories of being dismissed by female physicians. I think the roots of the problem are in unconscious bias and systemic bias. It's not about not wanting to care for women or not liking women-it's not about conscious prejudice, I don't think. Even the very best doctors just aren't getting the medical knowledge that they need in their training.

JN: Is the lack of research on vulvodynia [pain in the vulva], in particular, more strongly affecting the trust gap? Given that vulvodynia relates to sexual health and our intimate lives, it seems like an area that would make women feel particularly unseen.

MD: Yes, definitely. In the book, I mentioned how vulvodynia was understood and discussed in the literature historically and how it had the same trajectory [as other chronic pain conditions] of first being seen as psychogenic and then later came to be understood as a chronic pain problem. But it actually took longer for that change in understanding to happen when it came to vulvodynia, by comparison.

I think it ties back to the history of "hysteria" and this Freudian idea that psychological distress is converted to physical symptoms. It's been difficult for medicine to see [vulvodynia] through any lens other than sexual abuse and emotional distress. Another factor is this historical idea that women and their sexuality are so mysterious and inexplicable. One woman I talked to was not getting adequate help from her doctors-one female physician even told her, "There's so much we don't know about the vagina." And I'm sure that's true, but then why aren't we doing the research and why isn't that area getting research funding?
JN: What surprised you the most in doing the research for this book?
MD: I knew that in the early '90s there had been advocacy around putting on the public radar the issue that women were really under-represented in clinical research. That spurred a change in federal law to ensure that National Institutes of Health-funded research includes women and that results should be analyzed by gender.

But I was surprised to see what a long lag time there is before any new scientific knowledge gets incorporated into education and medical practice. So many problems that stem from the knowledge gap [the deficit of knowledge that we have about women and the conditions that disproportionately affect them] are due to the fact that, for a long time, we were studying mostly men and we weren't paying attention to sex and gender differences. And even though some new knowledge is out there, it's still not the norm to analyze results by gender.

At the start of my research, I also didn't fully realize how much silence has surrounded some of the experiences of women in terms of the trust gap. They often internalize the experience of being dismissed by doctors. Even as so-called "empowered," highly educated, and privileged patients, there's still a lot of deference given to medical professionals and physicians. It's hard to push back when an expert is saying, "Nothing is wrong."
JN: What is your biggest takeaway? What can we do now to begin to address this gap?
MD: With the #metoo activism, I've been feeling more optimistic about the power of women's stories to help spur some real change. I think there's power in women seeing that their experiences are similar.

The problem with the trust gap is that doctors are not getting the feedback they need to see that this is a widespread problem. There are some doctors and scientists working on various parts of the problem, but my hope is that more work is done on seeing how these problems are connected.

I want to make clear that it shouldn't be on individual women to have to become super advocates for themselves and super educated and learn everything in order to get proper medical care. We should be able to rely on the medical system. I hope patient advocacy can help birth changes, but that people within medicine will really take on this problem. They're the ones who we need to fix it.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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How to Address Gender Inequality in Health Care

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Are women and men receiving equally good care from their physicians? Not according to feminist writer Maya Dusenbery, author of the new book Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick . Instead, she argues, the medical field is rife with gender disparities, leading to poorer outcomes for women.