Internalized Misogyny

Have you ever wished to have the body of a VS model? Have you ever judged other women for their physical appearance or what they do? Have you ever done extreme diets to be “prettier”?

Those are only a small part of actions considered misogynistic. And yes, misogyny also exists in women and its called internalized misogyny.

What is internalized misogyny?

Internalized misogyny is the involuntary internalization by women of the sexist ideas present in our society and culture.

We have many preconceived notions about how to act, how to look and what to say that we don’t even notice it sits in most of us and it can be difficult to identify as sadly it has become part of our everyday lives.

Subtly planted in our everyday lives

We see women being degraded subtly in our everyday lives, especially in the media. We’re constantly aware of the lives of other women and as soon as an opportunity arises, we harshly judge if they do something that doesn’t fit with the “feminine” standards.

It’s time to get really honest with ourselves. If you were raised as a girl, you probably have some internalized misogyny.

Daily situations where internalized misogyny is present

• Striving towards “feminine” qualities just to fit in a societal ideal: being skinny, feeling bad about your body hair.

• Trying to be the “cool girl” by hiding a part of you: pretending to be calm, resisting emotion.

• Criticizing other women for the way they dress or act.

• Associate tasks with gender and feel pressured to do them: stay at home, wear makeup, cook, clean.

• Feeling superior to other women and referring to them in a negative or off-putting way. Using adjectives like desperate, disrespectful and dramatic.

And these are just a few...

Is it possible to fight against internalized misogyny?

It takes daily effort to correct it due to how deeply ingrained it is. But it is possible.

It is important to be conscious of our thoughts and step back to assess every situation that may involve this problem. Also, to be aware and detach qualities from gender and accept every choice deserves respect, no matter if we agree with them or not.

It’s not easy, but once we change our mindset, we start to see in which situations we act badly.

And remember: Be kind to yourself and other women. It’s in us to empower ourselves.