Zone1 Understanding The Challenge – Part I: Can Women Be Misogynists?

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

There are several members here on the message board who have identified themselves as female. There are some others whose gender I am unaware of but initially thought that they were female. There is a core group of them however who engage is rather nasty language regarding Vice President Harris, none of which usually has anything to do with her abilities and accomplishments, particularly when compared to Trump:

• San Francisco District Attorney (DA): Harris served as the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. This was an elected position, and she was the first woman and first Black DA in San Francisco. She was re-elected in 2007.
• California Attorney General (AG): After her time as DA, Harris served as the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017. This position was also elected at the state level, making her the first woman, Black, and South Asian person to serve as California’s AG.
• U.S. Senator for California: Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016, representing California. She served from 2017 to 2021. During her term, she focused on issues like criminal justice reform, civil rights, healthcare, and immigration. She was the second Black woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the Senate.
• Vice President of the United States: Harris was elected Vice President in the 2020 election, inaugurated on January 20, 2021, as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice President of the United States.

Case Study 1A:
Yes, women can exhibit misogynistic behavior or internalize misogynistic beliefs. Misogyny refers to the dislike, contempt, or prejudice against women, and it can be perpetuated by anyone, regardless of gender. This phenomenon is often referred to as internalized misogyny when women adopt sexist attitudes or reinforce negative stereotypes about other women, sometimes without even realizing it.​

Internalized misogyny can manifest in various ways, such as:​

• Criticizing other women based on gender stereotypes.
• Judging women harshly for behaviors that would be acceptable for men.
• Dismissing or undervaluing women's opinions or contributions.

Cultural and societal norms often reinforce misogyny, and people of all genders can absorb these biases and perpetuate them, even unintentionally.​

• "Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny" by Kate Manne
  Philosopher Kate Manne explores how misogyny is a system that enforces gender roles, which both men and women can perpetuate. She describes how women, by adhering to and enforcing these societal norms, can engage in misogynistic behavior themselves.
• "Internalized Oppression: The Psychology of Marginalized Groups" edited by E.J.R. David
  This book covers internalized oppression across various groups, including women, discussing how individuals may internalize negative stereotypes or beliefs about their own group, often leading to self-sabotaging or oppressive behaviors toward others in that group.
• American Psychological Association (APA) Research on Gender Bias and Internalized Sexism
  The APA has published various studies in Psychology of Women Quarterly that analyze how women may adopt and perpetuate sexist or misogynistic beliefs due to cultural and social conditioning. These studies explore how societal norms can shape attitudes that align with misogynistic views.
• "The Problem with ‘Cool Girls’" by Andrea Long Chu in The New York Times
  This article discusses how some women adopt behaviors or attitudes that align with misogynistic views to gain social acceptance or to distance themselves from traditional female stereotypes. This piece explores how such attitudes can harm other women.
• "Understanding Misogyny: Women as Enforcers of Patriarchy" in Gender and Society Journal
  Articles in Gender and Society delve into how women, influenced by patriarchal societal norms, may become enforcers of these norms, including through actions or beliefs that devalue other women, which is a form of misogyny.

 

[lafayette]

Of course they can.

 

[1srelluc]

Meh, I thought all women (to a greater or lesser degree) hated each other. Has something changed?