Misogyny–the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. In a society that emphasizes male superiority and comfort, women often face discrimination and prejudice in schools, work, and regular life. From a young age, people are taught that the activities and passions that women enjoy shouldn’t be taken seriously. The color pink, for instance, which many women enjoy, has been turned from a classy hue that men often wore, to a frivolous color that faces judgment in the workplace. Pink is pink–any color should be able to be used in a serious setting. From the lack of studies surrounding women’s health to the technologies built around the male ideal, society has continuously failed to consider women’s wants and needs. All of these problems stem from misogyny, which remains a prevalent issue in society today.
The Incompatibility of Motherhood and Work
By Avalon Kelly
In the five years after having or adopting a child, 17% of women choose to completely leave work. On the other hand, a mere 4% of fathers leave work during this time. While some new mothers may simply feel compelled to leave due to personal preferences, the undeniable truth is that expecting and new mothers are all too often pushed away from their jobs after childbirth, labeled by male employers and/or coworkers as incompetent and distracted. This resistance to the coexistence of motherhood and work is a result of the lasting impacts of the cult of domesticity—the time period in which women were expected to have influence solely over the home and family life. This resistance is faced by women in many forms: workplace stigma surrounding breastfeeding, inflexible work schedules, and minimal paid leave after…
Misogyny in the Gaming Industry
By Jupiter Polevoi
I’m one kill away from clutching the round. Apparently Jett is hit 80, and with no healer on the team, this should be an easy win. I tap the spike, and she peeks me from showers. I get off bomb and start to shoot, but it’s too late. She’s already one tapped me. “You’re actually so bad” rings through my ears, “Go back to the kitchen and make me a sandwich.” I’m sorry, what?
While sexism is the belief that one sex is superior, misogyny is purely a hatred for women. Unfortunately, misogyny is extremely prevalent in games and the gaming industry; oftentimes, boys with fragile masculinity can’t fathom that a girl could be better at video games than them.
If I had a dollar for every time a boy called me a slur or told me to “make them a sandwich,” I would have quite a lot of money. While misogyny is more frequent in certain games rather than others, it’s a universal experience that many women go through everyday. Many of them are scared to speak in game, as worries of being harassed or belittled are completely valid.
A popular Valorant player, JasonR, has been accused multiple times of sexism and misogyny. JasonR is known for leaving games when a girl speaks, calling them b*tches, and muting them after just giving basic coms. JasonR addressed these claims by saying he was just being respectful to his wife, but when others called him out for his behavior, he would say “they’re handling the situation like a girl.” Ironic, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, JasonR isn’t the only guy to act misogynistically to girls, and we need to break the stigma that girls can’t play video games. We should be able to play a match without getting called a slur, and we should be able to play without being scared to talk.
Do Women Actually Have Equal Rights?
By Olivia Pocat
Contrary to popular belief, women do not have equal rights protected under the United States Constitution. Although the Constitution can be assumed to provide equal rights to women, no amendment explicitly states so. This issue was addressed when the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was proposed by the National Women’s Political party in 1923 and passed by the Senate in 1272. The Equal Rights Amendment effectively guarantees equal rights for women. However, the constitutional process states that for an amendment to be approved it needs to be ratified by 38 of 50 states. Unfortunately, the amendment was only ratified by 35 states before the constitutional deadline.
After swiftly being passed by 30 states, the ERA received backlash from the STOP ERA movement. Activists argued against the amendment, declaring that the measure would lead to gender-neutral bathrooms, same-sex marriage, and indiscriminate drafting into the military. Recently, Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia all ratified the amendment. Technically, this means that the amendment could be approved by Congress, but due to five states acting to rescind their ratification, the amendment’s future is still at stake.
If the amendment was ratified by enough states and approved by Congress, women would have equal rights protected under the United States Constitution. Although women would still be discriminated against due to unchanging morals, discrimination would legally be banned on the basis of sex. This would prevent sex discrimination in hiring, firing, promotions, and benefits in the workplace. The underlying principle of the ERA is that sex shouldn’t discriminate against the legal rights of men or women and that all citizens are created equal under the constitution.
