Women educate, women nurture, women run companies and women run for president. Despite this, women are constantly having to prove their worth. 176 years since the first women’s convention, women are still viewed as less, with misogyny plaguing the world. Women are in no way less than men and that is an incorrect myth created by history, religions and stubborn mindsets. Misogyny continues to form aspects of society, and the beliefs it forms must be put to rest.
Historically women have made incredible progress in this world; it was only a little more than 50 years ago that they couldn’t get a credit card without a man. Misogyny is still found in discussions around a woman’s sexual identity and emotional intelligence as well as stereotypes about genders.
One of the biggest ideas misogyny brings forth is the idea that a woman is lesser for having many sexual partners, but a man is great for the same thing. Women have been told by society to remain pure since the Middle Ages. Watch television or movies, or simply listen to conversations around. This past summer, “Love Island USA 2024” televised participants unveiling each other’s number of past sexual partners. The men were mad and disgusted when a women had a higher number (a number that was nowhere as high as the men’s); however, when one of the men’s amounts was in the 100s, they all didn’t seem to see a problem. Sex is consistently seen as a woman's crime and a man’s victory.
Next, there is the misconception that women are more emotional compared to men. This is an example of people not doing scientific research for the sake of being sexist. A study completed in 2021 by Scientific Reports followed men's and women’s emotions and demonstrated that men and women experience the same emotional fluctuations. Patriarchal misconceptions formed the myth of women being “too emotional.”
When looking at the two people who went head-to-head for president of the U.S., it is evident one was judged harsher than the other. Many argue VP Kamala Harris is unintelligent despite attending law school and serving as a prosecutor, district attorney, California attorney general and U.S. Senator before becoming VP. As a woman, she was placed under a much more intensified spotlight than her opponent, President-elect Donald Trump. However, her win in 2020 for VP broke a barrier in itself and should not be forgotten. Women have come very far in politics despite being held to a higher standard.
Lastly, family dynamics can depict gender stereotypes. Women and men are oftentimes placed into roles deemed fit for them and there is an assumption that a woman is meant for home and a man is meant for work. If a wife leaves her kids with her husband, many say he is “babysitting,” but he is simply watching his own kids. If a mother watches her kids, that's the bare minimum. This leads to another idea, which is not all women want children. Not wanting kids does not make a woman less womanly or less worthy of love. Our society has to acknowledge this as acceptable and admirable. A woman is allowed to have the same goals as a man and not be shamed for it.
Misogyny creeps into our everyday lives, sometimes realized and other times not. If someone ever wants to look down on a woman for simply existing in her own choices, have them self-reflect on their own intelligence. While misogynists look down on women, women are working on developing society, the world and themselves.
Kyra Dapore is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Kyra know by emailing her at kd364521@ohio.edu.
