Sexism, A Patriarchal Order

Sexism, a patriarchal order

Sexism, derived from the patriarchal order of society, is a cultural guideline to which almost all laws in force in the western world are opposed today, since democracy is based on the idea that all people must be treated equally and have the same opportunities, which in no case must be restricted according to their ethnicity, their sex or their social class. However, sexist discriminations are still deeply rooted in culture, even though the legislative changes have modified some aspects and have become less obvious than they were in other times or what they are still in other cultures.

Sexism involves negative consequences for all individuals, men and women, because it limits their possibilities as people and denies them certain behaviors. Thus, for example, when they say "boys do not cry", or "girls should not speak like that", it is indicating that individuals must adopt specific behaviors and differentiated by the fact of being girls or boys. This is, therefore, sexist indications, which are generally assumed as prohibited behaviors, since their practice is usually accompanied by a negative reprimand or sanction. The child who cries is reproached not to be quite a man, adopt "girl" behaviors, observation that, given the hierarchy seen before, is a derogatory character. The girl who speaks perhaps rudely or that puts passion in sport, and even the one she stands out in the studies, has long threatened her with a discredit of her femininity, which will hinder her development as an object of male desire.

It is true, however, that the social changes that have been operated in the situation of women have annulled many of the explicit prohibitions that they were traditionally submitted, but today sexist messages continue to be transmitted that basically involve covering the stereotypes of an aggressive burden above.

However, the negative consequences that sexism entails for all individuals, bend for women, because – in a society like the current one, in which the female gender is devalued – places them in a position of inferiority and dependence. For men, on the other hand, sexism has negative consequences because it also limits its possibilities as people, but it provides them with more power over their environment. For this reason, many men try to maintain the forms of sexism, presenting them as a natural and indisputable fact, and ridicule women who fight to eliminate it from social relationships.