Misogyny, the systemic prejudice against women, can be found in our daily interactions, in the workplace, and on social media, sometimes cloaked in “tradition” or harmless fun. Still, the impacts are not harmless; they spread discrimination, reduce opportunities, and, according to research from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), hurt women’s mental health.
Acknowledging misogynistic behavior is an important first step in being able to address it, whether it is blatant sexism, subtle biases related to gender, or toxic masculinity. This article will explore these misogynistic patterns, their societal impacts, and ways to do your part to promote equality.
Common Traits of Misogynistic Behavior
Below is a summary of some of the different behaviors and characteristics, real-life examples of those behaviors, and how they continue to reproduce gender inequality.
| Trait | What It Looks Like | Why It Is Harmful |
| Dismissiveness | Interrupting women in meetings, ignoring their ideas. | Silences women’s voices, reinforces male dominance. |
| Objectification | Reducing women to appearance (“She’s just eye candy”). | Devalues intellect and agency, promotes sexism. |
| Double Standards | Calling women “bossy” for the same assertiveness praised in men. | Perpetuates unequal expectations, stifles growth. |
| Casual Sexism | “Women are too emotional for leadership.” | Normalizes stereotypes, justifies exclusion. |
| Control Tactics | Policing clothing (“She’s asking for attention”). | Limits autonomy, blames victims for harassment. |
These behaviors can be deliberate or unintentional, but they all contribute to a culture of inequality. Noticing and acting on these behaviors will provide an opportunity to dismantle the bias and promote mutual respect.
Impact of Misogyny on Society
Misogyny doesn’t just harm the individual but ruins societal progress, causing mental health issues and economic inequality. Here’s how:
- Mental Health Consequences: Continuous exposure to sexism leads to anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms in women. Regular microaggressions and sexism also impact women’s worth, while victim blaming may silence survivors of abuse.
- Economic Inequality: Gender biases create pay inequities, hinder women from being promoted, and keep women from entering predominantly male industries. This pay inequality is one of the biggest forces driving the gender pay gap, where women earn 84 cents for every dollar a man earns.
- Normalized Violence: Misogyny legitimizes abuse, from catcalling to domestic violence. Cultures that objectify women face increased rates of femicide and assault.
- Stifled Innovation: To overlook women’s perspectives is to forget half of the world’s ideas. Research consistently shows that better ideas are generated by diverse teams; diverse teams solve problems faster; and diverse teams create better products.
Patriarchy implies the creation of systems that deny women their voices and slow down progress in science, politics, and business.
Misogyny in Modern Culture
From viral memes to corporate boardrooms, misogyny is adapting to the times and disguising itself as either a form of humor, tradition, or even progress. Here are some ways modern culture perpetuates gendered bias through media, language, and social norms.
Digital Hostility
Misogyny is perpetuated on the internet through revenge porn, doxxing, and organized harassment. Women in gaming, journalism, and technology, to name a few, encounter trolling at disproportionate rates, often to purposely silence them.
Hollywood’s Gender Trap
Hollywood has, as usual, more commonly portrayed women as nagging spouses (sitcoms), manic pixie dream girls (indie films), or background eye candy (action films). Even many “strong female characters” often have little more depth than, say, knowing how to fight.
Workplace Gaslighting
Corporate diversity initiatives appear to face contradictions with realities such as the “glass cliff” (women are promoted to failed companies) or “office housework” (women are asked to plan office parties rather than lead projects).
Beauty Standards as Control
Social media filters and cosmetic surgery trends reinforce unrealistic ideals while shaming natural aging. The “wellness” industry capitalizes on women’s insecurities, labeling diet culture as “clean eating” and Botox as “self-care.”
Political Backlash
Women leaders face greater scrutiny, too; they are policed for their tone (“too shrill”), critiqued for their wardrobe choices (“unpresidential”), and have their qualifications questioned more so than male leaders.
Identifying Misogynistic Language
This table demonstrates how language in everyday phrases upholds misogyny, and how to immediately challenge them.
| Language Pattern | Everyday Example | Why It’s Harmful | Better Alternative |
| Gendered insults | “Bitch”/”Drama queen” for assertive women | Reinforces that female strength is unacceptable | Use neutral terms: “They’re being firm.” |
| Infantilization | Calling women “girls” but men “men” | Undermines authority and professionalism | Use equal terms: “women”/”men” |
| Victim-blaming | “She was asking for it.” | Shifts blame from perpetrator to victim | Focus on actions: “No one deserves harassment.” |
| Backhanded praise | “You’re smart for a woman.” | Suggests that intelligence is unexpected in women | Give full credit: “You’re smart.” |
| Stereotyped | “Women are too emotional to lead.” | Justifies excluding women from power | Challenge bias: “Emotional intelligence is valuable.” |
| Objectifying terms | “She’s a bombshell.” | Reduces women to appearance | Focus on skills: “She’s a talented engineer.” |
Every phrase you use reinforces or challenges stereotypes. Now you know how to recognize and challenge them one conversation at a time.
Media’s Role in Perpetuating Stereotypes
The media does not simply reflect culture; it shapes culture. From major motion pictures to news reports on social issues, how you tell a story can reinforce harmful norms, all while claiming to just be “entertainment.”
Here’s how:
- Film & TV Tropes: As previously mentioned, Hollywood has stuck to some old archetypes, the nagging wife, the sassy Black best friend, and the frigid career woman. These stereotypes teach audiences what a woman “should” be vs what she is.
- News Framing: Female public figures often receive coverage that centers on their appearance, tone, or family life. News articles about sexual assault consider “what was she wearing” as compared to the perpetrator’s accountability. This bad coverage undoubtedly contributes to social beliefs about women’s competence and credibility.
- Advertising’s Impossible Ideals: Advertisements sell products by also inventing female insecurity, from anti-aging creams to thigh gaps. Men’s advertisements sell products that emphasize leadership, but women’s advertisements focus on cleaning and beauty. The images imply that womanhood equals consumption and perfection.
- Music & Lyrics: Hip-hop’s “bitch/hoes” rhetoric and pop’s “girl power” anthems present a false binary, both reduce women to stereotypes, either hyper-sexualized or infantilized, but male artists do not face such boxes.
- Gaming Culture: 80% of AAA games feature female characters as prizes or objects with only an eye-candy appeal. Online multiplayer environments tolerate rampant misogynistic harassment, which drives women out of gaming communities and careers in game development.
The unfortunate part about this sexist media content is that people’s consumption equals support. In other words, a friend listening to songs stereotyping women is contributing to future releases containing the same message.
Strategies to Combat Misogyny
To take action against misogyny, we must begin at home, at school, and in our communities. Drawing from a wealth of knowledge about what works, here are four tested strategies for confronting sexist attitudes while building a culture of respect:
Education Through Discussion
Misogyny thrives behind closed doors. Open and honest conversations about gender stereotypes, particularly with youth, can build beliefs that are harder to deconstruct when young people are older.
Use current and real examples from social media, music, or television to critique sexist messages. Ask questions like, “Why do you think this joke might be harmful?” or “How would you feel if you heard someone say this about you?”
Positive Role Modeling
By showing these young ones male allies who call out sexism among friends, on sports teams, in the workplace, etc., the new ideology will be that respect is normal, not an exception. This is because when young boys see others calling out locker-room talk, they will be more likely to do so as well.
Safe Reporting Systems
Many victims of misogyny choose to stay quiet about their experience because they fear retaliation. Schools and workplaces should have anonymous reporting (like an app, or drop box, etc.) with a clear way to follow up. This practice holds accountable those who are reported while safeguarding anyone who reports potential misconduct.
Community & Peer Partnerships
Change can occur much faster when everyone works together. Consider partnering with organizations to provide workshops on healthy masculinity and bystander intervention. Peer-led discussions are also effective because when young people teach other young people, the message is more likely to stick.
Promote Equality With CA Mental Health
Misogyny perpetuates in silence, but you can challenge it every day. You can call out sexist behaviors, recognize harmful patterns, and advocate for survivors of misogyny. If you need mental health support or tools for being an ally, contact CA Mental Health for counselling and workshops.
Visit CA Mental Health. Together, we can create a better, more equitable world.
FAQs
What are the key differences between sexism and gender bias in everyday situations?
Sexism is blatant discrimination based on gender (e.g., “Women can’t lead”), while gender bias uses unconscious stereotypes (e.g., that a nurse is a female). While they are two different things, they both specifically support inequality, but bias often operates subconsciously.
How does toxic masculinity contribute to the perpetuation of patriarchy and inequality?
It enforces strict male stereotypes (e.g., “Men must be dominant”) that rationalize male privilege and inhibit gender equality. It puts pressure on men to accept patriarchal norms; otherwise, they will be rejected socially.
What role does chauvinism play in reinforcing discrimination and bigotry against women?
Chauvinism allows for male superiority, giving validity for some discriminatory acts (i.e. pay difference) or allowing some bigotry to be justified (“boys will be boys”). Chauvinism sees women’s rights as threats to male rights and not as fairness.
In what ways can society address and challenge the impacts of sexism and gender bias?
We can teach people (especially children) about stereotypes, advocate for and follow anti-discrimination laws, and uplift marginalized voices. To assist in effecting change, society needs new policies and everyone to call out bias in their daily life.
How does the intersection of patriarchy and toxic masculinity affect workplace dynamics?
They make them hostile environments where women encounter harassment, barriers to advancement, and “motherhood penalties,”. While men face the risk of burnout due to “always-on” expectations.
