Do you internalize sexism?

Question

The message of sexism comes at us in two ways: external and internal oppression. The external sexism is messages and behavior coming to us from outside, through institutions and individuals, e.g. “Women are too emotional to be in positions of authority.” Internalized sexism is taking in and believing the stereotypes and misinformation that our sexist culture tells us about being female and what it means to be a woman, resulting in e.g. “What do I know…” , “Who am I to speak…” Both external and internal avenues of oppression are painful and limiting for women as individuals and as a group, and deprives the world of our best thoughts, decisions, and actions.
[Janet Thomas (BREAKFREE): THEORY AND THOUGHTS.]

Answer 1

Humans cannot help but internalize cultural messages. We are bombarded with them from birth. There is truly no way to completely separate ourselves from those messages. But, attempting to do so through on-going self-evaluation and through objective observations and insights into the world around us is vital in order to achieve lucidity and self-actualization.

Sexism was pervasive and invasive when I was young and forming my identity. I swam deep in a suffocating ocean of negative messages about my gender and humanity. And, it took years to shake them off. Today, I am lucid about such morbid incoming messages and easily reject them and no longer let them mingle with my spirit.

Answer 2

Remarkably, maybe I'm a bit different than most. I never really did internalize sexism. Of course, my mother firmly ingrained in me from the time that I was born that I am "no less than" a man...I'm an equal. I think we're all born with a sense that we are equals: we really don't know to feel differently about this until we're old enough to notice the differences in the way people treat the sexes. For some, this wisdom comes later, rather than earlier. For me, I learned early on that the differences I saw (i.e. women being treated as "less than") were unjust, uncalled for, and a product of society's gender expectations. I was able to reject these things, even at a young age. The knowledge of prejudice and discrimination made me sad, but in a sense it also empowered me. I became someone who, throughout my life, yearned and struggled to prove that I was as capable as any man. This wasn't the result of a feeling of insecurity, as I had none in this regard. No doubts whatsoever. Instead, I sought to make visible these truths, so that others may learn from them. I wanted (and have) sought to empower other women- women who were not as fortunate as I to know from young childhood that women are not inferior people.

Answer 3

Of course you don't have to be a woman to internalise sexism, and in fact travel is very useful in illustrating how sexism manifests as it does so quite differently from place to place. An American in Germany will see different types of culturally typical sexism than he will back home.

What is surprising is how that kind of experience will demonstrate that even someone who sees himself as a libertarian equalist or feminist is in fact just libertarian and equalist compared to others within the same culture and simply hasn't challenged sexist attitudes he is unaware of.

The best behavioural examples I can think of relate to the treatment of indiginous peoples by the British during the days of Empire, and the treatment of Slaves in Europe and America. It was assumed, even academically, that these people were "inferior" - taken as scientific fact. How many such hurdles still remain to jump on gender issues?

In response. I have internalised sexism, and also gone a long way to kick out that sexism - knowing it and naming it is a good way to start.

Answer 4

Social scientists (in particular) are trained to stand outside their own being, culture and society - and to look inwards. We strive to see things not as societal and cultural learnings have instructed us to, but (hopefully) more objectively. We learn to identify processes, and patterns. We are more likely to question the status quo.

It's very difficult for most people without the benefit of even a rudimentary background in the social sciences to RE- frame the picture. Many are altogether unaware the possibility even exists. This is, at its core - really what your question is about: recognising and identifying the mechanisms behind sexism, prejudice and intolerance.

Answer 5

good question~

i think i would have internalized more had i not taken a women's studies course. in it, i really learned the intricacies and the subtle way sexism works. likewise with social work & racism. both courses allowed me to question the messages i got from my culture.

not sure if this fits in perfectly, but i do find myself fulfilling the role of "woman" sometimes in that when i'm at my mother's house & my brohter (older; large guy) comes over, i find that he expects/i fulfill the gender role of waiting on him (women serve & satisfy). my sister does it, too. i love my brother but there is a bit of resentment on my part. he can do no wrong- he gets waited on hand & foot. we just seem to fall into these roles - am i internalizing what i think i "ought" to be doing.

Answer 6

it has always seemed to me self-evident that a person is a person first, and all that other stuff second.

if you tell me that someone is black, i want to know which black that person is.

if you tell me someone is catholic, i want to know which catholic.

any statement of the form: 'women are too xxx to xxx' is at best misleading: there is just too much variation among women to allow such universals.

hell, i even met someone who voted gwb but was able to read, once.

Answer 7

both sexes are equal but in a different way

Answer 8

No I don't and I speak all the time; meaning I let life go normally, you know let it flow like the Nile.