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Leslie Alvarez
Dr. Charity Nelson
ENGL 1302 101
5 December 2022

Is Sexism a Disadvantage for Women? A Review of Multiple Perspectives

Sexism is defined as the prejudice on a sex, as well the beliefs around man and women

and their roles in society. This usual belief tends to affect women and girls more than man and

boys, meaning that men are given prominence over women. This is represented in monarchies,

religions, and traditions that present the women as the weak and inferior. Sexism has become

common in the lives and minds of people, resulting in negative and discriminatory results. This

is supported by Pacilli et.al., “Despite many advances in recent decades, gender-based disparities

remain pervasive in economic opportunity and participation, in educational attainment, in health

and survival, and in political empowerment” (474). However, some researchers think the sexism

is beneficial for women and gives them power over man without knowing, and brings both, man

and women, a better stability in their relationships (Waddell, Sibley, and Osborne 349), showing

that people tend to disagree between hostile and benevolent attitudes toward women (Hammond

and Cimpian 77).

This paper review existing research from reports presenting the impact of sexism and its

two variants (Hostile and Benevolent) in the workplace and romantic/sexual relationships. In

addition of how this can be beneficial or nor for women. This essay will analyze different points

of view in the study of sexism with the investigations of different researchers and gives an

opportunity to identify where an agreement or debate among researchers take place.

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Classic or Ambivalent Sexism

Jones, Mitchell, and Martin introduce sexism as the classic idea of gender role stereotype

and the traditional norms created by society, however, a certain number of researchers describe

sexism as ambivalent, since sexism tends to be more subtle this creates the idea of ambivalent

sexism, which present the hostile and benevolent behaviors. Tompkins et.al states that “hostile

sexism encourages the dominance of men over women and contempt toward women who seek

equal status with men” (237). In contrast, Tompkins et.al also explain the benevolent sexism and

its attributes, for example protectiveness and responsibility of men with women and show

women as the benefactors of men’s actions (237). This presentation of both attitudes of sexism,

is what makes sexism as ambivalent attitude, and is described by Hammond and Cimpian as

“sexism is the strong complementary components between these two attitudes toward women”

(77). To finish with, even that classic sexism is known as the basic stereotype roles in society

and negatively affects men and women, sexism possess attitudes that are considered hostile or

beneficial for women converting sexism in ambivalent.

Workplace

Next, several researchers introduced the impact of sexism at work and how it was

disadvantageous for women. Pacilli, et.al attributes the impact of sexism on job opportunities

among women, but also on their physical and mental health. It also includes how the act of

benevolent sexism affects women at work, making them look incompetent and in need of help

from men, creating prominent levels of anxiety in women (476). However, this article contradicts

itself, referring to benevolent sexism as a form of comfort towards the woman, which would

reduce this anxiety (478). Even so, the fact that sexism affects the workplace in women is proven

by the important levels of anxiety that they present due to hostile and benevolent sexism, which
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create a stressful place for women since their efforts are not enough to improve their work

position (Pacilli, et.al 478-479).

Additionally, Goldman and Misia recognizes and talks about how sexism is even more

present lately and affects women who have a job that would be considered "for men", for

example, sports. However, they describe how “…sexism in this area often goes unnoticed since

sports usually reward masculinity, the act of sexism, and femininity and how is difficult for

women to fit in a place that is already dominated by men” (86). This is supported by Hindman

and Walker studies about the impact of sexism in work related to sports, where it is not only

focused on sports, but also on those jobs where men predominate, and tells how women often

feel ignored and invisible, as well as being constantly questioned about their knowledge and

skills (68-69). This triggers repercussions in the professional area of women, affecting her

careers directly, creating greater difficulty and do not let women to do a better performance in

their jobs (71).

Although, many works have indicated a lower level of gender discrimination, the studies

executed by Hindman, and Walker show that at least the sport organization shows a usual and

high attitude of sexism towards its female workers (74). Besides Hideg, Ivona, and Ferris

contribute the power of men in the workplace stating that “Women continue to face barriers in

the workplace that hinder their career advancement. This situation is particularly pronounced for

high-ranking positions, with women holding only 16.9% of board of directors’ seats for Fortune

500 companies in the United States, 17.8% of board seats for the largest publicly listed

companies in the European Union, and 15.9% of board seats for Financial Post 500 companies in

Canada” (706).
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Lastly, Willi and Jozkowski attributes use of language as a form of sexism and that it

affects women's work in the same way. The researchers comment that "gender exclusive

language in job ads discouraged women’s interest in the profession", as an example given, “use

"he" to refer to potential applicants" (138). In addition, the researchers also report that when girls

are exposed to a job fair display, the constant use of masculine occupational titles, as

"businessman" or "salesman", make girls perceive women as less successful than men and create

a disinterest in careers they could take (138). Given the information provided by the researchers,

it can be concluded that sexism is something that mostly affects women in the workplace,

creating insecurities about their competence and discoursing possible female applicants for a job.

Romantic/Sexual Relationships
Waddell, Sibley, and Osborne describe how romantic relationships attribute numerous

positive things to someone's common life as a person and create a happy relation within a man

and a woman, however, they suggest that “…it is possible for ambivalent sexism moderate this

relationship” (347). Researchers attribute that “…one factor that affects the quality of

relationships is gender roles and attitudes” (348). Benevolent sexism is usually described as

something positive, since it attributes the adoration and protection of women, creating a positive

reaction in a relationship between man and woman, while hostile sexism is completely the

opposite (354). Additionally, Waddell, Sibley, and Osborne present how the benevolent sexism

has demonstrated to attribute happiness in the relationships between man and women, making

sexisms as something that both genders can benefit, creating a strong relationship where they can

fulfill their necessities. In the other hand, they also state that “hostile sexism wakened the

benefits of a romantic relationships and the satisfaction that men and women could gain, as this

trait create mistrust and the feeling of being manipulated” (355).

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Besides, Lemus et.al also states that a romantic/sexual relationship tend to have a better

acceptance in benevolent sexism. Moreover, this is because, although most boys have hostile

sexism, they tend to reduce these attitudes and take a more benevolent attitude towards women to

achieve a sexual and romantic relationship, making the woman feel safer and therefore, establish

the relationship with a man (221). However, Lemus et.al explain that “this only creates a

relationship of conformity, where both sexes satisfy their romantic and sexual interests, but fails

to provide a relationship where equality exists” (222). In addition, Glick et.al., confirms that this

situation can develop a paternalistic attitude toward women due to present women as the inferior

one and reinforces patriarchy (724). Despise that, research on sexism in relationships does not

prove to have a negative effect, since it shows that it creates an environment of happiness and

satisfaction between heterosexual couples.

Conclusion
Based on the analysis from a conversation between researchers, there is a correlation of

advantages and disadvantages regarding sexist attitudes. Research into sexism, be it hostile or

benevolent, at work has been shown to merely have a negative impact due to the levels of stress

and anxiety it generates in women as they tend to ignore her efforts or doubt her competence.

However, sexism, mostly benevolent sexism, was shown to have a high quality of positivity in

romantic/sexual relationships between men and women, creating greater satisfaction and comfort

between couples. This information is important because it casts doubt on the benefits and

disadvantages that sexism brings to women.

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Works Cited
Glick, Peter, et.al. “Beyond Prejudice as Simple Antipathy: Hostile and Benevolent Sexism

Across Cultures.,” Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, vol. 79, no. 5, 2000, pp.

763-775. Academic Search Ultimate, Doi:10.1037//0022-3514.79.5.763.

Goldman, Aura, and Gervis, Misia. “Women Are Cancer, You Shouldn’t Be Working in Sport:

Sport Psychologists’ Lived Experiences of Sexism in Sport.,” Sport Psychologist, vol. 35,

no. 2, 2021, pp. 85-96. Academic Research Ultimate, Doi:10.1123/tsp.2020-0029.

Hammond, M.D., Cimpian, A. “Wonderful but Weak”: Children’s Ambivalent Attitudes Toward

Women.”, Sex Roles, vol. 84, no. 1/2, 2020, Academic Search Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01150-0

Hideg, Ivona, and Ferris, D. L. “The Compassionate Sexist? How Benevolent Sexism Promotes

and Undermines Gender Equality in the Workplace.” Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology, vol. 111, no. 5, 2016, pp.706–727. Academic Research Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000072

Hindman, Lauren C., Walker, Nefertiti A. “Sexism in Professional Sports: How Women

Managers Experience and Survive Sport Organizational Culture” Journal of Sport

Management, vol. 34, no. 1, 2021, pp. 64-76. Academic Research Ultimate,

Doi:10.1123/jsm.2018-0331.
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Jones, Calvert W., Mitchell, Jocelyn S., Martin, Justin D. “Ambivalent Sexism? Shifting Patterns

of Gender Bias in Five Arab Countries.” International Studies Quarterly, vol. 65, no. 2,

2021, pp. 277-293. Academic Research Ultimate, Doi: 10.1093/isq/sqab007.

Lemus, Soledad, et.al. “When Contact Correlates with Prejudice: Adolescents’ Romantic

Relationship Experience Predicts Greater Benevolent Sexism in Boys and Hostile Sexism

in Girls.,” Sex Roles, vol. 63, no.3-4, 2010, pp. 214-225. Academic Search Ultimate,

Doi:10.1007/s11199-010-9786-2

Pacilli, Maria Giuseppina, et.al. “System justification moderates the relation between hostile (but

not benevolent) sexism in the workplace and state anxiety: An experimental study.,”

Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 159, no. 4, 2019, pp. 474-481. Academic Research

Ultimate, Doi:0.1080/00224545.2018.1503993.

Tompkins, Jessica E., et.al. “Kawaii Killers and Femme Fatales: A Textual Analysis of Female

Characters Signifying Benevolent and Hostile Sexism in Video Games.,” Journal of

Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 64, no. 2, 2020, pp. 236-254. Academic Research

Ultimate, Doi:10.1080/08838151.2020.1718960.

Waddell, N., Sibley, C.G., Osborne, D. “Better off Alone? Ambivalent Sexism Moderates the

Association Between Relationship Status and Life Satisfaction Among Heterosexual

Women and Men.” Sex Roles, vol. 80, 2019, pp.347–361. Academic Research Ultimate,

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0935-3

Willi, Malachi, Jozkowski, Kristen N. “Ladies First? Not So Fast: Linguistic Sexism in Peer-

Reviewed Research.,” The Journal of Sex Research, vol. 55, no. 2, 2020, pp. 273-277.

Taylor & Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1346058

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