Misogyny, Prejudice and Sexual Health

Over the years masculinity has been weaponized as a tool of discord and separation. The perennial question, what does it mean to be a real man keeps ringing in our ears as we try to arrive at an answer that is suitable to our socialization and upbringing. Undoubtedly, most societies have a template for hegemonic masculinity which is the standard by which men are judged. The hegemonic template defining a real man may read like this. A real man is one who is physically strong or one who does not show weakness. The male who displays weakness of any form is not viewed as a real man in many Western societies that ascribe to a particular and rather toxic notion of masculinity and manhood. We all wear a mask; in fact some of us have multiple masks. Men wear a mask of masculinity. Based on our connections and environment we are not allowed to be vulnerable. As a result men are forced to conceal their true selves. This masked masculinity is often destructive as it is problematic. The disruptions caused by mask wearing gendered beings give room for misogynic and discriminatory views. Unfortunately, in many public spaces we have normalized discrimination. Many women feel unsafe in public spaces but they are afraid to speak out. Those who practice these disruptive elements of prejudice are often bullies and operate without guardrails in an atmosphere of silence. Surprisingly, women are usually the ones who due their hush tone or laughter give approval to jokes or comments that can be viewed as misogynistic. Push Back Against Gender Equality. Gender Equality was made part of international human rights law by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. That milestone document in the history of human rights recognized that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and that “everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, … birth or other status.” Interestingly, online manosphere has fueled and continues to fuel a culture of misogyny globally. The manosphere encompasses a decades-long effort by an increasing number of men who feel aggrieved by feminism, women’s rights and gender equality. The contemporary manosphere began in the early 2000s when the pre-internet men’s rights activism went online. These online spaces are often riddled with misinformation and disinformation. These spaces are deliberate in their distorted messages and tend to attract younger people at their base. The idea that certain individuals, often women and girls, are deemed less valuable because of their gender, leads to the dehumanization and marginalization of a significant part of the population, thereby endangering their human rights and dignity. Misogyny fuels men's sense of entitlement and superiority. Misogyny also justifies male aggression and forms a base for violence against women and girls. Regardless of where the misogynic hostility is from it is wrong. The pushback against gender equality is one of the findings in a major report from United Nations (UN) Women, the UN agency for gender equality, on the progress made so far in advancing women’s rights worldwide. Importantly, women too can exhibit misogynic biases. The issue therefore is not so much about men or women issues but more people issues. Heterosexism. It has become pervasive for prejudice or hostile attitude towards those who are deemed different. Homophobia may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be different and may manifest as exclusion, stigma, harassment, criminalization, discrimination and/or violence. Internalized homophobia occurs when a person is subject to society’s negative perceptions, intolerance, and stigma toward people with same-sex attraction. They then turn those ideas inward, believing that they are true, and experience self-hatred as a result of being a socially stigmatized person. Heterosexism is a very broad term that includes a range of behaviours. It can involve overt hatred of non-heterosexual people, as well as more subtle biases, such as the belief in stereotypes based on sexual orientation. Alarmingly, this form of discrimination takes place in educational institutions. Education is often touted as that tool of change and tolerance, but we know too well that this is not so for all. Sadly, a significant amount of prejudice and discrimination occurs in educational institutions which by definition should be safe zones. Regrettably, violence has become both normalized and celebrated globally. Violence is a complex concept. Violence is often understood as the use or threat of force that can result in injury, harm, deprivation or even death. It may be physical, verbal or psychological. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines violence as "intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation". This definition emphasizes intentionality, and broadens the concept to include acts resulting from power relationships. An expanded understanding of violence includes not only direct "behavioural" violence, but also structural violence, which is often unconscious. Structural violence results from unjust and inequitable social and economic structures and manifesting itself in for example, poverty and deprivation of all kinds. Forms of violence can be categorized in many ways. Among the classification are: Cultural violence, for example, the devaluing and destruction of particular human identities and ways of life, the violence of sexism, ethnocentrism, racism and colonial ideologies, and other forms of moral exclusion that rationalize aggression, domination, inequity, and oppression. Structural violence, for example, poverty and deprivation of basic resources and access to rights; oppressive systems that enslave, intimidate, and abuse dissenters as well as the poor, powerless and marginalized. In Pursuit of Inclusivity. The US Department of Justice states that when used in a hate crime law, the word "hate" does not mean rage, anger, or general dislike. In this context “hate” means bias against people or groups with specific characteristics that are defined by the law. Hate crimes have a broader effect than most other kinds of crime. Hate crime victims include not only the crime’s immediate target but also others like them. Hate crimes affect families, communities, and at times, the entire nation. It is estimated that an average of 250,000 hate crimes were committed each year between 2004 and 2015 in the United States of America. An inclusive society ensures that all members, including those who have traditionally been marginalized, have the opportunity to participate fully in social, economic, and political life. This includes having a voice in decision-making processes, access to resources and opportunities, and the freedom to express themselves and their opinions. It is for this reason why the teaching of sex education is needed in our schools. Our students need to be informed and guided. What is happening now is that this void is being filled by those who are themselves uniformed. Students continue to experiment with sex therefore the responsible thing to do is to have timetabled sessions for sex education. Sex education is too important to be ignored. As a result wherever we come across prejudice and discrimination we should speak out. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are all hinged on inclusivity in society. There must be no room for exclusionary practices and policies in societies that are truly committed to gender equality and sustainable development. Human rights should not be applied selectively. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #humanrights #misogyny #discrimination #genderequality #sexualhealth