Internalized Misogyny and Secret Sexism
In the past few weeks, a sound has gone viral on Tik Tok that served as a mirror into society and the many instances in which we have all been placed under a spell of internalized misogyny and turned against different female celebrities. The trend reminded me that so many things people dislike are due to internalized misogyny and the inherent hatred so many people have against women and things that are classified as women's interests. Internalized Misogyny can be defined as sexism that is enacted towards women from other women, and themselves. Examples of internalized misogyny in everyday life are women blaming the girl their boyfriend cheated on them with, rather than blaming their boyfriend for cheating. And the false girl power narrative that says women have to reject all aspects of femininity to be powerful.
Shaming women for the clothes they choose to wear and how they choose to speak about their sexuality is not only a form of sexism but also internalized misogyny. Terms like slut and whore are words that are used exclusively towards women and degrade women for doing the same things men do. A man openly speaks about his sexuality and he is applauded, a woman does the same and she is called disgusting. A man is known for having many different girlfriends and nobody bats an eye, a woman is known for having many boyfriends and it becomes the thing she is known for. Taylor Swift and the way the media has treated her is a perfect example of this, she is consistently torn down for all of her songs being about her relationships, and yet so many men also write songs about their relationships, and it's nothing significant. Women are so often seen as attachments of men and who they’re dating whereas men are rarely ever seen in that same light. Slut-shaming, when coming from a woman is a product of internalized misogyny and internalized male gaze. Meaning that subconsciously they think the way that they can please and attract men is through hating women in the same strange way many men do.
Another way the world turns against women is through the hatred of things that are viewed as feminine interests. The best example of this is through fashion and how the art community has had such a hard time accepting fashion as an art. Fashion and style are viewed as something feminine, girly, and shallow. Whether it be styling or design it's looked down upon and seen as less than. Many arts and studies have a hard time accepting women as well. Rock music and the film industry both have men at the top of their fields and have a hard time accepting women's work as legitimate and quality. The same thing can be seen in the STEM field and the blatant sexism within it.
On the topic of film, Chick Flicks, and the rejection of them is another example of everyday sexism. Modern Gurlz on youtube has a great video that goes in-depth on this, but in the synopsis: Chick Flicks are unique in that they usually feature well developed female characters, and although many chick flicks are about crushes, or finding boyfriends they also pass the Bechdel tests. Mean Girls, Jennifers Body, Legally Blonde and The Devil Wears Prada are all movies that have been passed over by the film community when in reality they all feature important themes, feminist messages, incredible costume design, and fully formed female characters. No wonder they have been laughed at and overlooked.
Sexism goes much deeper than blatant remarks and actions and in reality, comes from within and subconscious decisions, assumptions, and prejudices. Next time you don't like something, or you are going to make a remark about a woman think about what the implications of the remark may be, and whether internalized misogyny is the secret motivator.
