These days, the word "misogyny" gets thrown around a lot. In its simplest form, misogyny is the hatred of women. But it's not always that simple. Misogynistic attitudes can be directed at individual women or towards all women. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
"Misogynistic" is defined as "a hatred of women." It can describe individuals or groups who display prejudice, discrimination, or hostility toward women. It also describes behaviors or attitudes that reinforce sexist stereotypes about women.
While Misogyny is most often directed toward women as a whole, it can also be directed toward specific groups of women, such as feminists or women in positions of power. It can also be directed toward individual women, particularly those who challenge sexist norms or defy gender roles.
Misogyny is not limited to men. Women can also be misogynists, either toward other women or toward themselves. Internalized misogyny is when a woman accepts and believes the sexist messages she receives from society, leading to self-hatred and negative attitudes toward other women.
Example Usage
- "The misogynistic comments made by the president are an example of the sexism that still exists in our society."
- "His behavior is misogynistic and disrespectful."
- "You're being misogynistic."
- "That's a very misogynistic attitude."
Origin
The word "misogynistic" comes from the Greek words "miso," meaning hatred, and "gyne," meaning woman. If you check the Oxford dictionary, it list that the meaning of the word "misogynist" was first used 1620 by a proto-feminist play, anonymous play named Swetnam the Woman-Hater. The point of the play was to criticize anti-woman writer Joseph Swetnam. In the play, his pseudonym was called Misogynos, which is where the actual word came from. The term was not used very often until the mid-1970s.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard have a speech in 2012 which brought the word back to the forefront. The title of the presentation was the Misogyny Speech. It mainly was a dedicated to her criticism of her opponent’s habit of judging her policies in a different light than her male counterparts. She also referenced the habit of the same male politicians using crude sexual terms and phrases when referring to her.
Phrases Similar to Misogynistic
Some similar phrases are:
- "Gender discrimination," meaning discrimination against someone based on their gender
- "Feminism" means advocating women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality with men.
- "Misandry," meaning hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against men
Phrases opposite to Misogynistic
- "Egalitarianism," meaning a belief in human equality.
- "Women's empowerment" means increasing women's self-reliance, economic capacity, and decision-making authority.
- "Pro-feminism," meaning the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.
- "Pro-woman," meaning having a favorable attitude toward women.
What is The Correct Saying?
It is correctly said as "misogynistic."
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Misogynistic
In some ways, people may incorrectly say "misanthropic." The word misanthropic means "hatred of humanity." It is not the same as misogynistic, which means hatred of women. An antisocial person may be called a "misanthrope," but this is not the same as a misogynist.
- James is an innovative misogynist that really supports female values.
- Anyone who is a misogynist doesn’t value human life.
- I dislike how my mom behaves like a misogynist every time she is in a group of women.
- We should be supporting misogynist politics because it will help bring women’s issues forward.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Misogynistic
It is recommended to use “misogynistic" only when someone exhibits hatred towards women. If you are unsure whether the person holds misogynistic views, it is best to avoid using the word altogether.
- You are such a misogynist, every time a woman achieves something you claim she slept her way there.
- Trying to say that only men have the right to make life altering decisions is a misogynist point of view.
- Not considering what your wife thinks or how she feels is very misogynist.