In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became dedicated to female empowerment. Many people now acknowledge that females can be as important and active members of society as men and can make valuable contributions to its improvement, yet sexism did not disappear completely. While the instances of open discrimination based on gender may become rarer, veiled sexism still thrives. In this journal entry, I would like to discuss the origins of this phenomenon and potential ways to deal with it.
Sexism is a form of discrimination based on gender, and, like such forms of hatred as racism and homophobia, it is directed towards a less powerful and privileged group of the population. In other words, it is expressed by males towards females. Historically, many traditions favored men and, through social norms, cultural values, and religious rules, supported their position of power while encouraging women to be less ambitious, more submissive, and timid.
Obviously, even such progressive countries of the Arabic world as the UAE are prone to unequal distribution of power among genders due to their cultural and religious backgrounds. However, Smith (2013) notes that sexism is not related to religion alone and often takes place in secular societies and across various spheres of human performance, including science and literature. In many cases, discrimination in the secular world seems to occur covertly. For instance, in Women’s Studies: The Basics, Smith (2013) discussed how female bodies were described in medical textbooks and stated that in one of them, menstruation was defined as “the uterus crying out for a baby.” Such a metaphor may appear harmless and witty at first. Nevertheless, its origins can be traced back to the times when the biological peculiarities of women’s bodies were regarded as the source of certain exclusively female mental disorders and their overall weakness. As noted by Smith (2013), a prejudiced way of representing females was and continues to be employed primarily by men as a means to control their interests. Nevertheless, discriminatory attitudes may also be undertaken unintentionally.
Throughout my life, I witnessed many situations in which women and girls were exposed to hidden prejudices, which do not look like discrimination and may even stay unnoticed. For example, when a couple dines in a restaurant, waiters usually give the receipt to a male. By doing so, they unwillingly reveal their belief that a man has a better financial position, greater control over resources, and, in general, is more authorized to dispose of the money than a woman. Another example is that girls and women are frequently encouraged to pursue activities and professions that are associated with the traditional female roles of a nurturer and a homemaker. Many females do not even consider becoming scientists, explorers, or researchers simply because they are unaware that there is an opportunity to engage in those male-dominated occupations.
The mentioned instances indicate that while we may consciously believe in the importance of gender equality, we still often follow old-fashioned behavioral patterns. The perception of females as weaker links is deeply rooted in our cultures and collective minds. To overcome this, it is essential to raise awareness of veiled sexism at both individual and social levels. One must be more critical towards own attitudes towards diverse individuals and strive to identify hidden stereotypes that may distort his or her behaviors. In addition, females must be actively encouraged and provided with greater opportunities to pursue unconventional career paths. By promoting female achievement, it will be possible to improve their representation which, in turn, will help to eliminate cultural biases that support veiled sexism.
Reference
Smith, B. G. (2013). Women’s studies: The basics (2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge.