Why do feminists call sexism “benevolent sexism” when it benefits women?

Gravel_Roads · 2019-11-20T09:20:53+00:00

It's called benevolent sexism because it's still sexism (in that it enforces unhealthy or unbalanced opinions based on gender), but it's benevolent, in that its not malevolent. Ie - opening doors for women on the belief that women need to be cosseted and protected from doing things.

There is no rule saying sexism that benefits men can't also be called benevolent sexism. Feminists are just focused on how things affect women, so they address benevolent sexism that affects women.

No one is saying men can't also use the word. And even if they did, you're free to ignore them. People shit on feminists all the time, they just keep doing their thing anyway. You can too.

30dirtyfingers · 2019-11-20T11:33:12+00:00

[deleted]

imnotfeelingsogood69 · 2019-11-20T18:44:42+00:00

The word benevolent isn't intended to say that the sexism is considered a net benefit to women, it's the idea that the attitude of the person being sexist is ostensibly benevolent. "I want to protect women, they're weaker than me" is benevolent sexism.

calamis1 · 2019-11-20T11:49:50+00:00

You've answered your own question. They call it benevolent because it benefits them.

poppy_blu · 2019-11-20T12:08:08+00:00

There is no such thing as benevolent sexism. Sexism is sexism.

I don’t want to be treated with kid gloves at work because someone’s worried about my feelings. If I commit a crime, I should do the same time as man.* It shouldn’t be assumed I’m a better parent and I get sole custody. I don’t need you to carry my bags for me.

*ironically I’d do more time than a white man, but conversation for another day.

CatchPhraze · 2019-11-21T05:26:17+00:00

Please sit down and explain how preopening a jar of pickles is a man losing. Please.

AggravatingTartlet · 2019-11-20T10:31:31+00:00

Benevolent sexism doesn't benefit women.

AntifaSuperSwoledier · 2019-11-20T13:53:24+00:00

Benevolent sexism doesn't come from feminism. It comes from psychology, from the ambivalent sexism framework. Ambivalent sexism (hostile and benevolent) also isn't only from men to women. Women can also exhibit ambivalent sexism toward men and toward other women.

DubsPackage · 2019-11-21T03:21:11+00:00

Because women are generally the center of their own universe.

So if it benefits them, then it's "benevolent sexism"

If it benefits men, then it's just "sexism."

Everything is subjective in relation to themselves, not in relation to "everyone."

Feminism at its core is a seperatist ideology, it treats women as if they were their own species from another planet and not part of any greater whole, and it treats men like they're hostile aliens or a seperate race.

exit_sandman · 2019-11-20T12:17:16+00:00

They do it so they can still present themselves as victims even when they're actually better off than men.

rus9384 · 2019-11-20T10:07:27+00:00

disguised as an equality movement

I am gonna say again that feminism is not and can't be about equality. At least no more, because legal rights already are equal for people no matter their gender.

2019-11-20T09:10:58+00:00

Wasn't aware of the use of 'benevolent'. But yes I believe that modern feminism (2005 onwards) is about women collectively getting revenge/supremacy over men because of history.

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NINJABOIBOININJA · 2019-11-20T09:44:39+00:00

Feminism is feminism. People are people.

Plopolok · 2019-11-20T09:58:50+00:00

Sexism usually means sexism against women. Yes it's weird; the meaning just drifted. Language isn't an exact science. Like, there's even an American country called 'United States of America'.

Arachno-anarchism · 2019-11-20T14:58:46+00:00

I don’t think it has anything with what gender it benefits. Besides, “benevolent sexism” is a reference to the fact that even if it benefits the victim gender, it is still sexism.

If anything calling it benevolent sexism is calling out the hypocrisy and saying even if you benefit from sexism it’s still sexism

So by all means it’s evidence of the opposite of what you claim

angels-fan · 2019-11-20T21:00:13+00:00

I get the idea of benevolent sexism, but then feminists claim it's actual oppression. That's where they lose me.

In the feminist mind, women have ZERO privileges. Anything that looks like a privilege is REALLY oppression by spinning it as benevolent sexism.

Any social expectations that benefit men is straight up privilege.

I simply cannot respect anyone that subscribes to this bullshit ideology.

SunflowerBurst · 2019-11-21T00:54:54+00:00

I don’t really care as much as they do, but it’s like when someone patronizes you. Or acts like you’re a pet. They’re not being mean but they are kind of insulting you.

2019-11-21T03:55:59+00:00

Because they're either idiots or disingenuous. It takes only a cursory look at government funding for women's issues as compared to men's issues to realize equality is NOT their goal. When was the last time you heard a feminist campaigning for men's rights too? Yeah me neither. They're interested in women, not equality.

villanelle23eve · 2019-11-21T20:03:31+00:00

Sexism and discrimination are not entirely the same thing.

You're placing the winner and the loser wrong, that's why it's confusing. It's easier to explain in an example,

For example, if a woman gives an important presentation, and the first comment is "Oh, you're so beautiful," that's benevolent, right, because it's a compliment. But in the confines of a patriarchy, it reinforces to the woman that her beauty is the measure of her worth, that it supersedes any work she did to put together the presentation.

Or if someone says, "Yes, I agree with your presentation, because you're so beautiful." That's benevolent too, and very beneficial to the individual woman, she got her job done! She might get a raise! But that statement is also implying that "If you were ugly, I wouldn't like your presentation," and "women can only give presentations if they're beautiful." Meanwhile men don't have that complex. I don't know if that's a great example, but it gets the point across.

Feminism is a response to men thinking it's okay to not allow women to have rights. Feminism is not a movement that sprung out of an equal society. You can argue that we don't need feminism in first world countries anymore, but that debate is pointless unless you've done all the work getting there. It's easier to talk about individual issues, and from there, realize that women are somehow the ones that get screwed over.

Feminism isn't about maintaining equality, it's about correcting imbalance to get to equality. There's a lot of debate as to what that means, but you're correct it's not egalitarianism, though a lot of feminists are also egalitarians, that's not mutually exclusive.

Male privilege is also different from benevolent discrimination against men. That would be something like "Men are strong, therefore they need to carry all the boxes." This is benevolent, because it's a compliment, but it leads to a bad outcome and contributes to an oppressive system, hence the boxes and that women don't get to carry things and become strong.

Why do feminists call sexism “benevolent sexism” when it benefits women?

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Title	Why do feminists call sexism “benevolent sexism” when it benefits women?
Author	imnotfeelingsogood69
Upvotes	17
Comments	130
Date	November 20, 2019 8:58 AM UTC (6 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/dyzfvc/why_do_feminists_call_sexism_benevolent_sexism/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/why-do-feminists-call-sexism-benevolent-sexism.295927 https://theredarchive.com/post/295927