Sexism is one form of discrimination which is still being experience in every society, culture and country in the world. Sexism refers to the prejudicial treatment of an individual or group of individual because of their sex or gender (Berg, 2009). Sexism involves a fortification of attitude and behavior basing on conventional stereotypical roles individuals have in the society. Gender bias may involve a whole array of issues ranging from imbalanced pay offered to women portrayed by the media to be sexual objects, to wives who are battered by their husbands. Although theories posit that both men and women are affected by discriminations. Women have been subjects of discrimination for many years and across many cultures; because majority of the cultures are patriarchal in nature. This paper examines the presence of Sexism in the present day society; giving instances when appropriate.
Sexism is a mentality which has the prospective of affecting nearly every factor of a woman’s life, preventing her from realizing her full potential. Sexism is still evident in our society through a number of ways. The first instance is sexism at the place of work. To a greater extent, gender discrimination is present in most places of work. Women are subject to various discriminatory acts ranging from sexual harassment by male colleagues, unequal payment and preferential treatment, to provocative and denigrating discussions about women (Douglas, 2010). According to Berg (2009), in every society women are discriminated against; they are not granted equal opportunities as men. Even in the developed countries, where the emancipation of women has improved the lives of many women, they are still subjected to a glass ceiling discrimination. There limitations in job promotions and approximately 95% of the executive positions in large organizations are held by their male counterparts.
Secondly, sexism is also manifested in religion. Majority of the world religions are patriarchal in nature and are the basis of the most biased concepts and ideas, with the relegation of women to a lower level as compared to men (Ruether, 1974). Women are considered to be unclean during menstruation, untouchable after giving birth unless they undergo ritual cleansing. They are also described as whores or temptresses in scriptures they have to cover themselves from head to the toes to avoid weakening the purity of resolve of men. This clearly illustrates the continuous discrimination against women by religions.
Lastly gender discrimination is at its heights in developing countries. While women in the western countries continue to press for gender equality, women in developing countries are subjects of a surfeit of discriminatory acts which continuously ensure they are trammeled (Douglas, 2010). These practices range from sex trafficking trade, rape ordeals, child abuse, infanticides, sex-selective abortions, to honor killings and dowry deaths. Sexism is a stark reality which affects majority of the societies in the developing countries.
In conclusion, sexism is stills evident in the world; women are still considered to be weak, passive or sexual objects. There is still a long journey to arrive at gender parity. As discussed, women continue to push for equality, respect and justice. Sexism should be resisted globally; while it may be eradicated through economic independence and extensive education in developing nations, women in the western countries should break the glass ceiling limitations to attain equality. They should fight to be treated equally, given equal opportunities with men in all fields as they keep on sensitizing on the aspects of sexism.
References
Berg, B. J. (2009). Sexism in America: Alive, well, and ruining our future. Chicago, Ill: Lawrence Hill Books.
Douglas, S. J. (2010). Enlightened sexism: The seductive message that feminism's work is done. New York: Times Books.
Ruether, R. R. (1974). Religion and sexism; images of woman in the Jewish and Christian traditions. New York: Simon and Schuster.
