Sexism in the city: a look at everyday sexism

For some, to believe we still have some way to go in terms of equality is the most ludicrous opinion you can have. Some, believe it takes a whole systemic turn over to be able to achieve such equality. However, for a lot of women, including myself, it is the form of sexism that manifests in our everyday life happening constantly around us.

‘Everyday Sexism’ became a more political term when Cambridge University graduate Laura Bates founded the ‘Everyday Sexism Project’ in 2012. Laura worked as a nanny after graduating and found that the young girls she looked after were already completely absorbed with things like their body image. The project is a digital platform to bring to light everyday sexist experiences. With over 100,000 submissions worldwide in 13 different languages with detailed experiences of discrimination, marginalisation, sexual harassment, and assault.

The small micro-aggression’s that women have experienced from such a young age are the small fine print that make up the larger picture of a heavily unequal society. The notion that sexism in the UK especially, is a thing of the past and we should stop whinging and nod to other counties for a look at the real problems, is turning a blind eye to the minor materialisations of prejudice that still exist in the modern world. It is essential to resist those who mock this to tackle these sexist micro-aggressions, as they normalise and ingrain the treatment of women as second class citizens, opening the door for everything else, from workplace discrimination to sexual violence.[i]

It is almost certain that a women will experience the effects of everyday sexism in her everyday life. Whether that be deciding whether her outfit for work will bring unwanted eyes as she walks into the office. Being talked over in her morning meeting while raising a point on something she clearly knows a lot about – her male colleagues often turning to google ‘just to make sure she’s right’. When she’s finally grown the balls to ask her boss for a well-deserved pay rise, he doesn’t give her the time of day because he unfortunately doesn’t find her physically attractive.* While expressing her anger about this to her male co-worker he asks if it’s ‘that time of the month’. When it is ‘that time of the month’, she goes to her doctor after suffering excruciating period pains – the issue is quickly boiled down to dramatics, she is given a contraceptive pill and sent on her way. She treats herself to a coffee on the way home after a bad day, the coffee man tells her, ‘she’d be more likely to find a husband if she smiled more’. On Friday night she is excluded from those ‘masculine’ pub topics such as music, politics and football – “why don’t you go and talk to the girls about girl stuff?”. On the tube home, a man is staring at her from across the carriage. Through strike of fear, she gets off at the next stop and hops in an Uber, still sharing her location with a friend the whole way home.

Formations of everyday sexism can be the gateway to larger problems such as an unequal society face, which are the foundations for systemic problems to fester. Not to mention, the discrimination tends to get worse for those living at the intersection of sexism, racism, or other prejudice.

The denial of everyday sexism can manifest itself in many forms. For example, from a very young age women are taught and constantly reminded throughout life that if you make a fuss, expect to be blamed, or worse. We are often told that we ought to be grateful that doors are held open for us or we have bags snatched from our hands as it is immediately assumed we can’t manage. This consistently nourishes the idea that we aren’t, and never will be, as strong and equal to a man.

In 2016, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) research in the United Kingdom, in partnership with The Everyday Sexism Project, found that 52% of women surveyed had experienced some form of sexual harassment. However, a staggering 80% hadn't reported it when it happened.[ii]

From a safety stance, it can be easier just to smile back at the creep who is staring at you on the tube or bus journey home in fear that standing up for yourself could lead to something far more sinister. This silences the problem due to the practicality of literally life or death. Situations like these can be a constant reminder of how, in some ways, little we have come in terms of inequality.

Awareness is the beginning of any solution. Being aware of how much these small, almost mundane details that make up the bigger picture, is where we as a society need to begin to tackle inequality. Which is why the term ‘everyday sexism’ is so important in our journey.

“To be a feminist is to be accused of oversensitivity and hysteria. But in the face of abuse the project uncovered, the strength, ingenuity, and humour of women has shone like a beacon.” – Laura Bates, Everyday Sexism Project

*A quarter of females said they have experienced promotion discrimination because of their gender.

References

[i] Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project speaking to The Guardian

[ii] 2016, Sexual harassment in the workplace, TUC in association with the Everyday Sexism Project

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Josie is a 22 year old northern lass currently navigating the whirlwind of being a 20-something year old in the modern world. As a journalism graduate, she loves writing about feminism, human and labour rights and sustainability. Bringing unheard voices and underrepresented communities to the forefront of media is at the heart of her storytelling. She is passionate about travel, cooking and fashion - particularly thrifting and upcycling second hand clothing!