History of Feminism

Last edited Tue Jun 10, 2014, 11:01 AM - Edit history (2)

In their view (having worked in all-black Chicago high schools for 34+ years) prejudice is one's personal pre-judgment based on received stereotypes or some other beliefs. Racism is prejudice + power, the institutionalized and systematic discrimination of minorities. Black people believe that anyone can be prejudiced, but only white, privileged participants who control institutional, discriminatory systems can be called racist. Thus, blacks can be prejudiced toward whites; but without institutionalized power, they cannot rightly be called racist.

In applying this thinking to sexism and misogyny, generally, the same partly holds true with one variation. Sexism is the sum of received stereotypes that produce social discrimination -- individual or random group treatment -- toward girls and women. Unlike its 'prejudice' counterpart, sexism can be extended to describe the codified, systematic use of discrimination against women that reveals itself in economic, legal, religious and social systems' policies and practices -- exclusions, double standards, lower pay, undue legal burdens -- exerted by institutions.

My comparison differs from the racial context of the above words in my belief that misogyny drives sexism. It is the deep-seated belief (driven by formed emotional habit) that drives the codifying of women as spiritually inferior, property, and expendable, traffickable bodies for male use and profit, with all the attendant fear, loathing and private constrictions that drive private male domination behaviors and public, institutionalized sexism. Misogyny is deeply held feeling and belief. Sexism is its public expression.

Women's economic, legal and social lives are affected by both, but their feeling of the misogyny around them is more emotional, spiritually hurtful. Any misogyny directly experienced is soul killing and drives women into fight or flight behaviors. Sexism has some institutional remedies, and often simply drives women to adapt to patriarchal systems, or confront personally those who unconsciously reveal it. Women tend to know what to do about sexism. They tend not to know what to do about misogyny, except, perhaps, seek solace with each other and through the power of numbers or persuasion.

There is a parallel connection between minorities and women, when they realize that even if they practice either prejudice or sexism toward the privileged power group, they cannot hurt them because of the broad-based institutions that buttress the privileged persons' status. There is no verbal equivalent for "nigger," and there is no verbal equivalent for "cunt" or "bitch" that leverages power for either 'out' group.

The prejudiced or sexist individual can unconsciously be so without necessarily being racist or misogynist. The practice of consciousness is key. Institutions generally "excuse" the privileged from any direct responsibility for expressing racism or sexism. If they display a pattern that supports such institutions, then individuals can rightly be called consciously racist or sexist.