6 Instances Of Casual Sexism That Women Deal With Daily

Some instances of casual sexism are so common and subtle, we don’t even notice them in our daily lives. It can be hard to pinpoint and figure out when exactly they started but luckily, now more than ever, we have the tools to tackle them. When it comes to identifying these situations, it can be tough because we, as women, are taught to brush off uncomfortable experiences and ‘move on’. But doing so won’t make these things go away. Here are some examples of things women have to deal with every day that are toxic with a capital T.

Being told to settle down or give ‘good news’

This happens as soon as girl touches her 20s. Women are constantly plagued with questions like: When will you settle down? When will you have kids? When will you get married? This perpetuates the idea that a woman’s life isn’t complete till she finds a partner or bears a child. If you ever feel tempted to give someone this advice, remember that women can have different goals and preferences, just like men do, and they can take a call on what their priorities are, better than you can.

Expecting women to smile

Why should women always have a grin on their faces? Having this expectation from women shuns the fact that they also feel a wide range of emotions including sadness, anger and disappointment. In fact, studies also show that women are punished for expressing their anger in situations, while men have been rewarded for the same exact behaviour.

Not knowing how to cook

Women are expected to know how to cook whereas it is still completely acceptable for men to not even know where the dishes are kept in their own houses. This casual sexism is also perpetuated from an early age in many households by making chores and kitchen duties a part of a girl child’s routine as she grows up, whereas the boy child isn’t taught any of these life-saving skills around the house while growing up.

Being mom-shamed

Motherhood is one of the most daunting jobs in the world and yet, we don’t think twice before doling out advice to mums. From social media to IRL interactions, mom-shaming is everywhere. From looking down on mums because they choose to formula- or breast-feed their kids to guilt-tripping them for working, we never really run out of ways to make new mums, mums or mums-to-be feel bad about little things. But does the same rule apply to dads?

Getting mansplained

It is common, it is irritating and it needs to stop. No one, and I mean no woman, has ever said, “Yes, please go ahead and explain to me what I was trying to say,” to a man. Mansplaining leans on the assumption that a woman will is less knowledgeable, less competent and needs a man to explain things to her, even if it is something she is dealing with.

The way men sit in public transport

Seriously, is all the manspreading really necessary? In most cases, it really takes away the comfort and the right of most passengers to sit back in peace.