SARA MILLS SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY The struggle for sexism

S A R A M I L L SS H E F F I E L D H A L L A M U N I V E R S I T Y

The struggle for sexism

1. Background sexism

2.Aims

To examine the struggles around sexism overall recentlyTo examine the ways that political correctness is used as an

offensive term with `victims’ of discrimination portrayed as aggressive With offence being questioned With political correctness being viewed as in contrast to free speech To examine the responses and interventions by women

and feminist groups in relation to these changes To develop a more interactive model of judgements of

sexism

3.Sexism in Interaction

In face to face interaction

S: Makes a negative evaluation of women as a group, aimed at including the hearer in that reference (could see this as sexist, a joke, banter or as `factual’)

H: Identifies utterance as sexist, or decides to ignore, treat it as a joke, banter

Which contexts: where women making claims to power?

4. Sexism in media texts

Feminism as a social movementFeminism as a discourseWithin neoliberal capitalism feminism as discourse has

“gone rogue”. Today’s feminist movement is `increasingly confronted with the strange shadowy version of itself, an uncanny double that it can neither simply embrace nor wholly disavow’ (Fraser, cited in Carter, et al, 2015: 27)

Feminism incorporated into media texts and thus disarticulated, its political voice undermined (McRobbie, 2009)

Dame Helen Mirren slams 'sexy' label - and 17 pictures that suggest otherwise: BT news

Being described as a sex symbol is limiting, according to the actress. BT news

5.Sexism

Definitions : `the practices whereby someone foregrounds gender when it is not the most salient feature’ (Vetterling-Braggin, 1981)

`women have no head for politics’ (Lips, 2014)`what do fucking women know about the offside rule’

(Andy Gray 2011)Coates argues that the English language is sexist

(2015)

5.1. Constituents of sexism

Anachronistic

Negative

Describe females only in relation

to males

Describe females as distinct from

males

Generalise about women as a

group

Sexualised Incompetent

Describe females as distinct from

males

Focus on disabling

femininity

5.1.Hostile, benevolent and ambivalent sexism

Hostile, ambivalent and benevolent sexism (Lips, 2014)Hostile sexism: derogatory beliefsBenevolent sexism: positive but patronising (`women need

romantic relations with men to be fulfilled’; `men naturally need to be in charge;’ `women are naturally better at multitasking’) `it is tempting to think that benevolent sexism cannot be so bad if it entails positive feelings towards the target’ (Lips, 2014, 34)

Ambivalent sexism: `I’m all for women’s rights but these women complaining about discrimination in employment are going too far: they are pushy and unreasonable’ (Lips 2014)

6. Problems with these views of sexism

Assumed that the sexism is somehow IN the language(`lady’ always sexist; must always use `woman’; Coates,

2015)

Assumes that it is primarily a linguistic issue (if we change the language, the problem is solved)

Individual choice/error which can be reformedThis is an etic approach to sexism; the analyst decides

(Attenborough, 2013)

But sexism is a social practice and occurs at particular moments; it has a particular function in relation to women in the workplace, women in positions of power (Hillary Clinton; Andy Gray and Richard Keys, 2011).

Assumed that we will all agree on what constitutes sexism and how we define it (Sunderland, 2007)

Does not take enough account of feminist interventions around issues of sexism

7. Overt sexism

Overt sexism: where sexism seems to be clear

Definitions and Examples

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jan/30/asda-christmas-ad Behind every great Christmas there's mum, and behind every mum there's Asda

Attenborough 2015

8. Indirect sexism

Indirect/ Subtle/neo-sexism/retro-sexism

Indirect sexism: presupposition; humour; `both challenges overt sexism and keeps it in play’

Indirect indexing (women and shoes; shopping; cupcakes)

http://www.revival-retro.com/blog/green-shoes-lloyds-bank-advert

9. Background sexism

9.1. 50 Shades of Grey

50 Shades of bus shelters

Fifty shades poster campaign on buses and bus shelters centred on a few days around Valentines Day

So how is this sexist: Woman with hands tied above her Man kisses her and holds her face, she is passive She responds Lose control: this is represented as positive BDSM is a valid sexual practice between consenting adults; here it is elided

with romantic love

Background sexism when sexist images are just seen as part of the wallpaper: The posters were on buses and bus shelters everywhere in Sheffield

School defends Fifty Shades of Grey Book Day costume ban 6th March 2015

A school has defended its decision to stop a pupil taking part in World Book Day celebrations while wearing a Fifty Shades Of Grey costume. 

BT had 50 shades sex tips for BT users on 14th February 2015

Included safe words etc. Discussed BDSM as if just something to be used to `spice up your sex life’

9.2. Blurred Lines

Blurred Lines project1000 questionnaires to young people to discover their

views of the song and videoThe men are clothed (suits) and the women are naked

or in transparent dresses and heels. Men sing and the women walk around and perform sexually for the men

Comments on video: this is normal for music videos and so not offensive. There are far worse.

10. Political correctness

`Political correctness’ used about anti-sexism, anti-racist campaigns and characterising them as over fastidious (feminists tend not to use the term)

Trevor Phillips (CRE) now says that his work against racist language was problematic; there are racial distinctions and we need to be able to discuss them.

Those who are the victims of sexism, racism now cast as aggressors

Offence is seen in negative termsResistance to sexism is seen as a curtailment of free

speech

11. Anti discrimination vs free speech

The Guardian Sat 7 February Ian Dunt

`Safe space or free speech? The crisis around debate at UK universities The cancellation of comedian Kate Smurthwaite’s Goldsmiths show after protests against her politics is indicative of a wider battle for the nature of student life – should university be a ‘safe space’ for all, or a place where anything can be debated?’

Political correctness and aggression

`Once you dig past the insults and accusations, the Smurthwaite story reveals something troubling about the culture on Britain’s campuses. Whatever the precise reasons for the cancellation, the feminist society took a vote to picket someone because of a policy position unrelated to the content of the show itself. This is not like the antifascist “no platform” campaign of the 1980s and 90s. It is much broader and more nebulous. The potential for offence is trumping the right to free speech’ (Dunt 2015)

12. Cancelled seminars

Bill Maher (critical of Islam) stopped from speaking at University of California by petition

Christine Lagarde IMF stopped from speaking at Smith College,`imperialist and patriarchal systems that oppress and abuse women worldwide’ (Chait, 2015)

Condaleeza Rice stopped from speaking at RutgersAyyan Hirsi Ali stoppped from speaking at Brandeis`At a growing number of campuses professors now attach

`trigger warnings’ to texts that may upset students, and there is a campaign to eradicate `micro-aggressions’ or small social slights that might cause searing trauma’ (Chait, 2015)

13. Undermining offence

`This is an environment of fear … faculty members are terrified of facing accusations of triggering trauma’ (Chait 2015)

`All over social media, there dwell armies of unpaid but widely read commentators, ready to launch hashtag campaigns and circulate Change.org petitions in response to the slightest of identity-politics missteps’ (Rebecca Traister, cited in Chait 2015)

`Political correctness is not a rigorous commitment to social equality so much as a system of left wing ideological repression’ (Chait, 2015)

Attacks on feminists by feminists Hanna Rosin The End of Men `Everyone is afraid to speak right now’ (Samhita Mukhopadhyay cited by

Chait 2015) `That the new political correctness has bludgeoned even many of its supporters into despondent silence is a triumph, but one of limited use’ (Chait, 2015)

14. Undermining complaints about sexism

Woman calls police over wolf whistling builders 28th April 2015

460 comments`What’s disrespectful

about that? What a sad lassie’

`I hope she gets done for wasting police time’

`snooty cow, she should think herself lucky people think she’s pretty’

15. Feminist interventions

Feminist academic interventions have had an impact on publishing (guidelines)/newspapers/ adverts (complaints)

Development of terms: Mansplaining `tendency of men to patronisingly hold forth on subjects the woman knows better’ (Rebecca Solnit 2008)

Calling out: where someone’s sexism/racism is made public/exposed

15.1. Public view of sexism and legal changes:

Andy Grey, Sky Sports, was sacked because of sexist comments, but

Ellen Pao, of Reddit loses landmark sexual discrimination lawsuit – low- level sexism. Apr.2015

15.2. Popular Feminist Interventions

Everyday Sexism posts:Rose 2014-10-08 13:20So having a conversation yesterday with men and women about

infidelity, they all believed you can't blame a man for falling for the seduction of a beautiful women, so basically they were trying to convince me that men are just these innocent humans who have no control over situations of infidelity so it's always a women's responsibility to be respectful and don't pass the friendship line, if infidelity did happen by the husband, they would make the girl involved pay for it, being either hit or just completely seen as a slut. I'm just annoyed at this whole notion that men are innocent babies who can't do anything for themselves. Oh, but I bet if a guy was trying to seduce them they would probably punch them in the face.

15.2. Everyday Sexism blog

15.3.Vagenda blog

Twitter campaigns and Writing on billboards

15.3 BTL comments

Below the lines comments on gender/feminist issues; feminists engage in discussions

(but The Lads’ Bible, below the lines comments and trolling; Hardaker 2012; Ronson, 2015)

15.3. Below the line comments

Who cares if she's got manicured nails. What's that got to do with anything. Like · Reply · 86 · 12 March at 21:24 View previous replies

This Girl Can Hi Laura, thanks for the comment! We're celebrating women who get out there and exercise their way, and we love that Skyla brings her personality to the boxing ring.

Like · 44 · 13 March at 09:26 View more replies

Sash Saeed Love it. Although i find the impact of the gloves on pads weakens my nails. Still got my manicure

Like · Reply · 10 · 13 March at 09:18

Helen Hodkinson I would love to keep my manicure but boxing is more fun Like · Reply · 9 · 12 March at 21:30

Pru Comben I find that boxing ruins my nail varnish! But it's worth it!

16.Model of analysis for struggle for sexism

Public /legal response to

sexism

Feminist Interventio

ns

Trolling .Below the line comments

Media Incorporation

of feminism

Undermining of PC &

offence

Conclusions

Model of sexism needs to be more interactive and more about struggles over sexism (needs to include arguments over meaning)

Legal context and public opinion on sexism has changedThere is a great deal of undermining of the grounds on

which it is possible to claim that something is sexistSocial media has allowed greater debate of issues of

sexism, but also greater victimisationHowever, there is also a great deal of feminist activism

around issues of sexism and discrimination

References

Attenborough, F. 2013 ` Sexism reloaded or sexism represented’, Feminist Media Studies, 13/4, 693-709Attenborough, F. 2014 `Categorial feminism: new media and rhetorical work of assessing a sexist, humorous, misogynistic, realistic advertisement’, Gender and Language, 8/2, 147-168Bates, L 2014 Everyday Sexism, London: Simon and SchusterCarter C, Steiner L, McLaughlin L eds 2015 The Routledge Companion to Media and Gender, London: Routledge.Chait, J. 2015 ``Not a very PC thing to say’ New York Magazine, Jan 26Lips, H. 2014 Gender, London: RoutledgeMcRobbie, A 2009 The Aftermath of Feminism, London: SageMills S Language and Sexism, Cambridge: Cambridge University PressRonson, J. 2015 So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, PicadorSunderland, J. 2007 `Contradictions in gendered discourses, feminist readings of sexist jokes’, Gender and Language, 1/2, 207-28