More so than often, or at this point it has been reaching the level of ‘always’ since the old days, the ongoing sexism drives women to endure listening to words implying they are only useful in the kitchen or bearing children in their households. Yes, there are women who chose to live as housewives and serve their utmost dedication for their families, but that does not mean all women should be one. Rather, not every woman has the same goal – to be a housewife. A child of four dreamt to be a firefighter but feels disheartened when there are barely any female firefighters in their storybook. That is on women’s representation in the male-dominated occupation – it is full of lackness and scarcity. On this occasion, honestly speaking, the same old picture is getting dull and boring.
Unfortunately, it is these inferiority women have inevitably gone through that the society, regardless if they are male or female, are quick to downgrade their ability to lead and conduct, merely because they are leaning more on the emotional side. Even women who use Audit Power Tools or are in the construction business are still being downgraded by men who do not believe in their ability. A question for those who thought women are such, do they not consider that possessing a compassionate trait can create harmony among genders? There is no reason to compete against each other if there is nothing to win for.
“It was just a joke, don’t take it seriously!” is what women get in response whenever they speak up. Even making fun of something has their own limits and sexist remarks are already too much and off the charts. What makes it all the more shocking is, there are a total of 122 subtly sexist remarks thrown against women, and that is only the ‘subtle’ part.
Here are 4 derogatory remarks labeled on women which everyone, no matter what gender, should avoid using:
Sl*t
Pardon the vulgarity. Wh*re, h*e, b*tch – you name it. The number of synonyms this remark has says a lot about the stereotype this gender has. Women are often portrayed as sexual objects, and sleeping around multiple people causes them to be called such. The ironic thing about this is, men did the same, yet they are able to walk away from their actions just because, well, “boys will be boys.” Women, however, are slutty and shameless just because they breathe. The double standard definitely stood out like a sore thumb, but society turns a blind eye to the problem and feigns ignorance of the real problem circling around women.
Baby-Making Factory
“When will you have another kid, George?”
“Oh, I’m not sure, Greg. The factory ain’t ready for it, yet. Guess we’ll have to wait until we’re good to get it on, you know?”
Laughter follows, as if objectifying their partner is hilarious. As mentioned before, women are more often than not symbolized as sexual being serving to pleasure men and nothing else. It is a sad reality society has been living with since ancient times, and there are barely any changes to this day. Pregnancy and labor is not a simple endeavor for women, and to birth a child causes excruciating pain and requires life-threatening sacrifices. Yet, they are not appreciated for their efforts in building a family, even after marriage, mothers are not mothers, but a ‘baby-making factory.’
Bossy
So, when women show power, they are ‘bossy?’ No, they are the boss (quoting from Beyonce). It has become a norm for boys and men to lead because it correlates with their already-existing stereotypes, so why does society so fast on their feet react negatively to female leadership? Stereotypes are not a tradition we need to maintain. Stereotypes are a danger to both genders and should be eliminated for equality to triumph. Take Jacinda Ardern and Tsai Ing-Wen for example; as female Prime Minister and President, both are just as intelligent and superior at handling the COVID-19 pandemic until they are able to bring the virus to its knees. This proves the world women can handle top positions in organizations and create great impact beneficial to the world.
Girls
“But they were one when they were little, aren’t they?” Yes, they are, but not anymore. An Associate Professor stated that, especially in a workplace, infantilizing women is a subtle way in differentiating from their male colleagues. In short, calling their women colleagues as ‘girls’ is an umbrella term for immature, loud and childish.
Women are special creatures – they are neither a second gender of men nor one that should be dominated by. They are capable of conquering and just as strong as any other genders. Society should not constantly put women at the bottom of the food chain because they were never a prey to begin with. Women are valid, their voices deserve to be heard.
