Misogyny

Misogyny literally means something like “hatred of women”, but today it is more broadly understood as hostility toward and devaluation of women, girls and femininity. It appears not only as open hatred, but also in social norms, institutions, language, images and behaviours that degrade women and people who are read as female or feminine. Misogyny is closely related to sexism, but it particularly describes the hostile, punitive or controlling side of patriarchal gender orders.

In a patriarchal system, misogyny legitimizes and stabilizes the subordination of women and the maintenance of male dominance. It can help restrict women’s access to resources, money, education, safety, healthcare, political power and equal rights. Misogyny often interacts with other forms of discrimination, such as racism, classism, ableism, trans hostility and queer hostility. It affects, among others, cis women, trans women, intersex women and non-binary or gender-nonconforming people when they are perceived as female or feminine and devalued on that basis.

Examples of misogyny include dividing women into “good” and “bad” categories, devaluing sexual self-determination, assuming that women are less suited to leadership positions, or treating things associated with women and girls, such as pink, make-up, romance, care work or certain hobbies, as embarrassing, shallow or inferior. In sexuality, dating and BDSM, misogyny can shape stereotypes about dominance, submission, availability or “proper” femininity. Consensual erotic roles must be distinguished from this; what matters is that they are freely negotiated and not based on degradation, pressure or structural inequality.