Ambivalent Sexism

Components

Hostile sexism is the belief that women are by nature inferior and thus unfit for and incapable of [Page 18]holding positions of authority, especially over men. Hostile sexists tend to see a power struggle between the sexes and express resentment of women for manipulating men—whether by bludgeoning men with “feminist demands” or controlling men through sexual seduction. Accordingly, hostile sexists (both men and women) may experience anger toward “feminist” women who challenge prescribed gender roles and/or shirk “their moral and biological duty” of acting as a subordinate to a presumably stronger male counterpart. Because laws, organizational policies, and norms of social desirability often serve to protect women, expressions of hostile sexism may have diminished in recent years.

Benevolent sexism also works against the promotion of women as equals, but in a very different way. This construct idealizes women as mothers, wives, and caregivers. In addition, benevolent sexism assumes that women both have a purity that men do not and also need protection, as they are too weak and good to defend themselves against those who might otherwise do them wrong. Rather than lowering the status of women by directly characterizing them as less competent, benevolent sexism subtly reinforces the idea that women are more fragile and should be protected and provided for by men. In return, women are expected to confine themselves to a social sphere in which they can nurture the next generation, serve as counterparts to their adoring husbands, and create comfortable homes.

Hostile and benevolent sexism work to balance each other and together function (more effectively than hostility would alone) to relegate women to a second-class status. Benevolent sexism may be more palatable to most people (especially women) than hostile sexism because it appears to reflect good intentions rather than antagonism. That is, women who allow themselves to be patronized reap some benefits and earn the adoration of their male protectors, while women who do not conform to the model are subjected to the negative consequences provided by hostile sexism, including censure, hate, and resentment.

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