By CALLIE WATSON
Staff Writer
The Oxford Dictionary defines sexism as “prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex” and misogyny as “a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women”. Many people, especially women, are familiar with these terms. In the US, misogyny, and sexism is not as common as it was in the 20th century, but other parts of the world are not as tolerant. Today in the US, women hear jokes laced with sexism and misogyny. But what is the difference between sexism and misogyny?
Sexism is not specific to women, but it is uncommon for men to face sexism. An example of sexism is a woman not getting a job just because of her sex. Another would be stereotyping all women as a whole. A common stereotype is “women are always overdramatic about everything and always overreact”. These stereotypes can be harmful to young girls because they could buy into the stereotype and believe bad things about themselves. Many countries in the world have worked to create laws that combat sexism.
Misogyny often goes hand in hand with male chauvinism. Misogyny is having a prejudice against women. Male chauvinism is believing men are superior to women. Both ideologies are extremely harmful to women. Misogyny can impact young girls by inspiring an unhealthy thinking pattern that they are not capable of things because of their sex.
In order to combat misogyny and sexism, women need to stand together. Encourage the young girls in your life as they choose their career path. Whether they want to be a lawyer or a stay-at-home mom, be supportive of their aspirations. Together, we can stand against misogyny and sexism.