Although human societies have made great progress in terms of equality, there are still deep-rooted forms of discrimination between virtually all cultures. Sexism is one of these discriminatory practices s, and it exists both in actions and in thoughts.

However, it is not always easy to recognize. Many times it appears camouflaged in alternative forms, or is expressed in attitudes so generalized and assumed that it is difficult to see them as such. That is why it is important to know the different types of sexism and the way they can be found in everyday life.

What is sexism?

Before we go on to look at their types, we need to have a clear idea about what sexism is and how it is expressed through what we do.

One definition could be the following: sexism is a type of discrimination based on the biological sex or gender of individuals.

Types of sexism

There is no single criterion for the categorisation of the different types of sexism , which means that there are several possible classifications according to different criteria.

For example, we can look at who sexism is directed at, or focus our attention on how it is expressed.

Depending on who it is aimed at

Depending on the type of person to whom sexism applies, it can take the following forms:

Against women

This type of sexism is very common, and is directed towards people whose biological sex corresponds to their (female) gender identity .

Against transsexuals

This form of sexism applies to people whose gender identity does not correspond to their biological sex . It is particularly serious, as these discriminatory attacks add to the anxiety and emotional pain that gender dysphoria produces, a psychological phenomenon that occurs in some transgender people and about which you can read more in this article: “Gender dysphoria: being born in the wrong body”.

Sexism against intersex people

This is one of the least widespread types of sexism, as intersex people are relatively few in number. Intersex consists of a discrepancy between the design of the genitals and the chromosome load that is possessed (XX or XY). This ambiguity about a person’s sex causes rejection in many cultures, including Western ones.

Against men

This type of sexism is closely related to the concept of misandry , that is, the aversion towards men in general.

According to the way sexism is expressed

If we have previously seen a classification of types of sexism according to their content, we now turn to their forms.

Hostile sexism

Hostile sexism is expressed in attitudes and actions based on hostility, aggressiveness and physical or symbolic violence . For example, beating someone because of his or her gender is a clear form of this kind of sexism.

Some subtypes of this kind of sexism are as follows:

  • By transgression of the domestic : sexism based on the rejection of women’s access to the public facet of society, that is, that which is beyond domestic and reproductive tasks.
  • For sexual matters : through this one tries to violate the way in which one experiences one’s own sexuality.

Benevolent sexism

This is one of the types of sexism that goes most unnoticed, since it shows itself through acts that could be understood as initiatives of kindness .

For example, explaining a very basic subject to someone as if they had no way of understanding more elaborate discourses may be sexist, the interlocutor being a woman, since the female gender has traditionally been removed from intellectual tasks.

Similarly, coming to the woman’s aid so that she does not have to make any physical effort can also be a framed act in this type of sexism, if it is done systematically and generalized.

Normative sexism

This type of sexism is also not expressed through violence, but neither does it have anything to do with apparent kindness or condescension. These are actions that, because of their forms, tacitly express an affirmation in traditional gender roles without any justification other than habit.

For example, asking a woman when she plans to find a husband to support her is an example of this kind of sexism.

This kind of sexism is often supported by an essentialist view of biology as applied to humans. For example, it is understood that since historically women and females of most mammal species are more involved in breeding than males and males, there is some kind of link between the feminine and the care of the young.

However, this perspective not by reductionist and biologist is more scientific . If this were the case, for example, it would not have been the case that millions of women started to leave their homes to dedicate themselves to tasks that go beyond the domestic and the home, as has happened in less than a century in western societies.

Mansplaining

Mansplaining is a very specific form of sexism that picks up on elements of both of the above, as there is both condescension and a desire to deny others the ability to participate in an equal relationship.

It consists of minimizing the opinions of another person (female or not identified with the male gender) and presenting one’s own as if they were a description of reality posed in an easy way for everyone to understand.