50 Women Who Called Out Sexist Things That Are Still Blatantly Accepted (New Pics) Interview

Sexism is linked to beliefs around the fundamental nature of women and men and the roles they should play in society. Sexist assumptions about women and men, which manifest themselves as gender stereotypes, can rank one gender as superior to another.

Despite legal frameworks set up across Europe and the US to prevent discrimination and promote equality, women are still underrepresented in decision-making roles, left out of certain sectors of the economy, primarily responsible for unpaid care work, paid less than men and disproportionately subject to gender-based violence. Sexist attitudes, practices and behavior contribute to these inequalities day to day.

First off, we have to make one thing very clear–sexism is harmful. Not only does it produce feelings of worthlessness, self-censorship, and changes in behavior, it causes a deterioration in health and wellbeing. While sexism lies at the root of gender inequality, it affects women and girls disproportionately.

According to data from Human Rights Channel, women spend almost twice as much time as men on unpaid housework (OECD countries). Moreover, a whopping 80% of women stated that they have been confronted with the phenomenon of “mansplaining” and “manterrupting” at work.

Mansplaining comes from the assumption that women and other non-men don't have the intelligence to understand the topic at hand, which is a sexist and misogynistic assumption. The mansplainer will explain something that the woman probably already knows already, usually in a condescending and infantilizing way.

To find out more about this type of aggression towards women that many of them face on a daily basis, especially at work, Bored Panda reached out to Nicole Froio, a feminist writer, researcher and sociology PhD student.

Despite the fact that mansplaining has received quite a lot of attention and acquired a really bad reputation, many men do it nevertheless. Froio argues that an unconscious ego is to blame, “where they believe they're the most knowledgeable person in the room.”

On other occasions, the feminist writer believes that men simply can't help themselves. In fact, Froio argues that men who mansplain are mostly oblivious to the fact that it’s demeaning to women. “Which is why I always recommend that people ask whether the person they're speaking to knows what they're talking about. It's just polite to check so you don't spend minutes telling them things they already know,” she added.

For any woman experiencing mansplaining in the work environment, Froio suggests to politely respond in ways that make men know women are also knowledgeable. “So for example, saying things like ‘I know’ or ‘Yes, that's exactly what I was saying!’ or simply showing the person you're speaking to that you know what they're talking about by interjecting with a piece of knowledge on the subject you are talking about.,” she said.

Most importantly, we have to start treating men's opinions as they treat everyone's opinions, Froio argues: “as opinions and not inherently knowledge.”

“Do not be afraid to interject and disagree. It's important to openly challenge this kind of behavior. I don't know if that means it'll be stamped out for sure, but it's a daily battle to make ourselves heard,” the feminist writer concluded.