Apropos of the current increase in women’s movements for the struggle for equality of our rights, in addition to the scandals over gender violence against women in areas such as sports or cinema that are making the news at the moment, we have seen that in the dialogues a term is used that not all of us fully understand: micromachismo.
Well, we will tell you what micromachismo is and how it affects us women in our fight for equal rights. in our struggle for equal rights and in our empowerment process.
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What is micromachismo?
We speak of micromachismo when we refer to all those attitudes, thoughts and sexist manifestations of machismo that are sexist manifestations of machismo that are subtle (so we call them micro (which is why we call them micro) and that are completely accepted and integrated by society.
It is very dangerous because, unlike the great displays of machismo that we know, we are so used to these attitudes that it is difficult for us to be alerted when they happen and they can go unnoticed.
Before continuing, it is normal that we are used to using the term “machismo” but we do not know exactly what it is. Well, machismo is a term derived from the word macho and encompasses all those attitudes, beliefs, values and ways of interacting in which it is determined that men are naturally superior to women. It is an arrogant and proud attitude of men by which women are subjugated and discriminated against. women are subjected and discriminated against.
It is possible that micromachismos are the incipient and latent source, which is there but we do not always see, of gender violence against women. This is because our society as we know it and live today, is shaped by a heteropatriarchal system in absolutely all its aspects. This means that we are part of a society that is dominated by men and in which women play a secondary role.
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The way in which our language is configured, how education is imparted to us, the roles we fulfill, the prejudices, the way we relate between men and women, and even among women themselves, are and even among women themselves, are some examples where we see manifestations of micromachismo.
Some day-to-day examples
So that you can begin to identify them, here are a few examples of this form of sexism. a few examples of this form of sexism so that you are aware of them and do not allow them to continue to happen. You will see that after these few examples, you yourself will begin to discover many other forms of micromachismo that surround you in your daily life.
For example, one form of micromachismo within the home is when your guy does less chores or stops doing certain other chores if you do not ask him to, because it becomes evident that, consciously or unconsciously, housework is considered more feminine and not egalitarian. In the same way it is when we give a doll as a gift to a girl because we assume that this is what girls like.
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It happens when in the media it is men who talk about politics and women about entertainment. Or when after social events, we comment on men’s ideas, but only talk about how well or badly dressed the women were. Also exemplary are all those types of advertising in which women are advertising in which women are objectified or, conversely, when girls only or, on the contrary, when girls only star as fragile princesses.
It is micromachismo when in a social gathering in which the majority are women, we talk about “everyone” because of the mere presence of a man, or when we address only men to talk about yesterday’s soccer results. Also when we get together with friends and listen more attentively to what men say than to what women say.
Other common examples are when we say that a woman is “unfeminine”.When we let boys go out later than girls, when we instill in the women around us that they should always be aware of their appearance, or when we make comments such as “drunk women look terrible” or “this drink is for “ladies”.
In the workplace there are also several micromachismos; from the biggest ones in which high positions are only given to men, to those moments when it is better not to say something about her job to a woman because she is sensitive and emotional. It also happens when women are granted things for smiling or because they are pretty; or when we consider that there is a certain way in which a woman should behave.
Is it only men who promote this attitude?
Sadly, micromachismo is so established and accepted in society that it is not only men who do it. Many times we are it is we women ourselves who enact these forms of inequality among ourselves among ourselves
As you could see in the examples above, there are situations in which we women ourselves are the ones who put ourselves in an inferior position to men, such as when we criticize the way our friends dress or behave.
Many of these attitudes have been passed on to us by our mothers and grandmothers, but remember that the world is changing. We are changing it! So it is important that you become aware of the micromachismos to which you are exposed and the micromachismos that you yourself encourage.
Start with what you can do, such as letting go of prejudices and eliminate everything that leaves you in a sexist position. Love the women around you and all together let’s take up again