Sexism and the Internet

Internet sexism is the online occurrence of gendered discrimination. Gender refers to the socially and culturally constructed aspects of masculinity and femininity, as opposed to biological designations of male and female. Norms around masculine and feminine behaviour are ingrained in every part of society. Within patriarchal societies, in which men hold the majority of social, cultural, economic, and political power, sexism discriminates against women as well as non-binary people who identify as neither men nor women.

Sexism on the Internet occurs in significant ways, such as women being aggressively harassed or excluded from conversations online; in unintended ways, such as men being the main authors of online information; or in subtle ways, such as the assumption that women and non-binary people have less knowledge and expertise ...