Not too long ago I wrote my views on sexism and gender equality to help a friend in her research onto the subject so I might as well share it out properly
do you believe that language concerning sexism has changed in the last thirty years? if so why? It is hard to say that language has changed fully concerning sexism, as major examples are shown in everyday life and job occupation which most end in ‘man’ not a term which prefers either gender. for example if there is a problem in the home, a repairman would be the first name on the mind of those who want it fixed, not another term such as home repairs or repair person, repairman. But in other instances this can be seen to change by the officials in the positions, police forces now call themselves police officers instead of policeman or policewoman because using police officers as a term lets both genders be preferable, but this doesn’t mean that people in the wider society use the term as on many occasions police officers have to remind over and over again that they shouldn’t be specified into gender categories as they feel everyone is equal in the workplace.
As for other instances, everyday language mainly concerning women among those who see fit to use different terms to relate to women, either slang words or associated words they see to be fit to label women as hasn’t seen much change over the years as many men can still use offensive terms that they feel is non-problematic or non-offensive to use, for example “the other half” in terms of their wife or spouse, which just seems as they feel like they can be referred as this which may belittle their presence in the relationship as someone who is just their to keep them whole as a person. Also the use of the terms “love” or “darling” is another example in which sexism in language is yet to change out of the belittling terms which women get referred to everyday, accept as a figure of speech and not speak against to get their rightful position as a female who has a name and should be associated with a proper reference to their name.
do you believe that language is sexist in the modern media? if so, why and if possible please include examples? Sexism in the media is hugely subtle but ever existent as companies have to try and sell their products to their target audience. such examples can be Diet Coke, adverts solely advertised for women, as women are seen to be more health conscience and feel that having a diet coke will make them feel better about themselves for drinking that type of soft drink instead of one that has more calorie content. These advertisements do not take in the audience of men who think of their weight or have a diet strict lifestyle who would rather drink diet cola to full fat types. Companies also recognise this problem and reinvent diet coke, or pepsi turning from diet to pepsi max, or coke zero and reinventing the advertising to what can be seen as a more male orientated life, defeating octopuses in the sea to get the girl, or a woman walking away in little clothing as people smash through the window to feel more extreme and machoistic. For the media there isn’t a middle line between gender and advertising but a need to use vague current affairs which are constructed by the media itself to bewilder different genders to buy different style products because it makes themselves relate to that gender that they have socially influenced to believing which is right.
what do you think of when you hear/see the word “feminist” or “feminism”?would you personally say you are a feminist? When I see the word feminism or the word feminist, I initially think of change, change in a positive way, for the better of society and to those who are and were oppressed by the societies most powerful cultures. I think of women and men who have spoken out over generations and their actions have helped start mould a better society where equality is starting to be more prominent in day to day life. I also think of how and when feminism can be a term which is used to show this force which makes the norm of the future, where everything is considered in both female and male forms where others shouldnt have to speak out against oppression because patriarchal views are diminished and left with the darker eras in the past.
I do see myself as a feminist, and everyone who feels that women’s equality is right and how society should treat women fairly should consider themselves in the feminist way of thinking, even though some groups of feminism would disagree men should be a part in this revolution every voice can be accounted for to help womens further liberation.
do you believe that women should remain a “miss” even after marriage rather than being changed to a “mrs”? I believe that women should have the right to change their title as they see fit, married or unmarried. Mrs, a shortened term from Mistress which is another term for lady of the house, which can be loosely seen as a woman who is the head of the household or a woman assigned to live and work in the home in a domesticated way. But other titles such as miss or ms derive from mrs in ways so how others can take upon the meanings of such titles can be each to their own.
As for other instances, everyday language mainly concerning women among those who see fit to use different terms to relate to women, either slang words or associated words they see to be fit to label women as hasn’t seen much change over the years as many men can still use offensive terms that they feel is non-problematic or non-offensive to use, for example “the other half” in terms of their wife or spouse, which just seems as they feel like they can be referred as this which may belittle their presence in the relationship as someone who is just their to keep them whole as a person. Also the use of the terms “love” or “darling” is another example in which sexism in language is yet to change out of the belittling terms which women get referred to everyday, accept as a figure of speech and not speak against to get their rightful position as a female who has a name and should be associated with a proper reference to their name.
do you believe that language is sexist in the modern media? if so, why and if possible please include examples? Sexism in the media is hugely subtle but ever existent as companies have to try and sell their products to their target audience. such examples can be Diet Coke, adverts solely advertised for women, as women are seen to be more health conscience and feel that having a diet coke will make them feel better about themselves for drinking that type of soft drink instead of one that has more calorie content. These advertisements do not take in the audience of men who think of their weight or have a diet strict lifestyle who would rather drink diet cola to full fat types. Companies also recognise this problem and reinvent diet coke, or pepsi turning from diet to pepsi max, or coke zero and reinventing the advertising to what can be seen as a more male orientated life, defeating octopuses in the sea to get the girl, or a woman walking away in little clothing as people smash through the window to feel more extreme and machoistic. For the media there isn’t a middle line between gender and advertising but a need to use vague current affairs which are constructed by the media itself to bewilder different genders to buy different style products because it makes themselves relate to that gender that they have socially influenced to believing which is right.
what do you think of when you hear/see the word “feminist” or “feminism”?would you personally say you are a feminist? When I see the word feminism or the word feminist, I initially think of change, change in a positive way, for the better of society and to those who are and were oppressed by the societies most powerful cultures. I think of women and men who have spoken out over generations and their actions have helped start mould a better society where equality is starting to be more prominent in day to day life. I also think of how and when feminism can be a term which is used to show this force which makes the norm of the future, where everything is considered in both female and male forms where others shouldnt have to speak out against oppression because patriarchal views are diminished and left with the darker eras in the past.
I do see myself as a feminist, and everyone who feels that women’s equality is right and how society should treat women fairly should consider themselves in the feminist way of thinking, even though some groups of feminism would disagree men should be a part in this revolution every voice can be accounted for to help womens further liberation.
do you believe that women should remain a “miss” even after marriage rather than being changed to a “mrs”? I believe that women should have the right to change their title as they see fit, married or unmarried. Mrs, a shortened term from Mistress which is another term for lady of the house, which can be loosely seen as a woman who is the head of the household or a woman assigned to live and work in the home in a domesticated way. But other titles such as miss or ms derive from mrs in ways so how others can take upon the meanings of such titles can be each to their own.
