Page 190 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

164 gender microaggressions and sexism

home, ” “ You ’ ve come a long way baby! ” “ Don ’ t worry your pretty little head. ”
These statements are filled with hidden messages: “ Housework, care of children,

and attractiveness are the domain of women. ” “ Don ’ t push so hard, and be con-
tent with the progress you have made. ” “ Problem solving and rational thinking
are the domain of men. ” Thus, it is not surprising that Judge Sonia Sotomayor,
during her confirmation hearing in July 2009, in answering questions from pri-

marily male Senators responded in what others described as “ steady, ” “ unemo-

tional, ” “ flat and detached, ” and even “ boring ” tones. In fact, one headline in
the New York Times proclaimed “ Sotomayor Leaves Passion Behind ” (Stolberg,
2009). For a woman who has been described by others as a woman of passion
who feels strongly about issues, this aspect of her character did not come across
in the hearings. Perhaps she knew that her strong feelings, humor, and passion
would be interpreted by men as out - of - control and irrational; they may think
that as a Supreme Court justice she could not be objective.
Similar to racial microaggressions, gender microaggressions are brief and
commonplace daily verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intentional or
unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative gender
slights and insults that potentially have a harmful impact on women. They
too can vary on a continuum from being intentional and conscious to being
unintentional and unconscious. Gender microaggressions are often visited
upon women by well - intentioned men who themselves may be unaware of
the role they play in inflicting psychological harm on their female counter-

parts, in restricting career and job choices, in creating a lower standard of
living for them, and in perpetuating inequities in employment and health care
(Rubin, 2008; Sue & Sue, 2008; U.S. Census Bureau, 2002). Likewise, gender
microaggressions are often delivered through educational texts, mass media,
institutional norms, and cultural scripts that are not necessarily overtly sexist,
but communicate hidden messages that may be internalized by both perpetra-
tor and victim. In keeping with our contention that it is not overt bigotry that
is most damaging to the life of women but instead its contemporary invisible
forms, I describe how sexism has evolved into its everyday manifestations.

FROM OLD - FASHIONED SEXISM TO MODERN
SEXISM: THE MORPHING OF BIGOTRY

Negative attitudes toward women, viewing them as inferior to men, relegating
them to lesser or undesirable roles, and attributing gross stereotypes to them

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