Sexism is a set of beliefs and/or actions indicating that a person is inferior based on that person’s sex or gender. This form of prejudice is aimed primarily at women, people who identify as transgender, and individuals who do not adhere to traditional gender roles, and it maintains a system of advantages that privileges men and reinforces traditional forms of masculinity. An extension of misogyny (contempt for or prejudice against women) and patriarchy (the hierarchical construction of society where men are dominant), sexism is the exhibition of such beliefs at individual and group levels.

In the next section, several key terms related to sexism are defined. The entry continues with a brief historical overview of sexism, presents several examples of its manifestations in everyday life, and ...