Sexist Comments Research: Benevolent Sexism & Double Bind/Double Standard

To help continue educating the public on what sexism looks like, I am publishing a series of LinkedIn articles that share a sampling of these comments. This 14th article (of 18) shares comments that focus on women in homemaker roles, which is part of the “stereotypes” category in our study. Here is some general background about this research: To better understand women’s experiences in the state of Utah, researchers Robbyn Scribner, Dr. April Townsend, and I collected and analyzed a wide variety of sexist comments women have experienced. Overall, about 1,750 comments were provided from nearly 850 participants for this?Utah Women & Leadership Project ?(UWLP) study. The goal of the research was to educate the public (both men and women) on the many forms that conscious and unconscious sexist comments can take, from shocking statements to those that are more subtle.

Background

In this study, the broader “Stereotypes” theme was broad and included comments stereotyping both men’s and women’s behavior. Notably, many of the comments coded in this theme were much more explicit and vulgar than those included in this article. The analysis of the responses within the Stereotypes theme produced six specific categories. I will share comments from two of these sections: Benevolent Sexism and Double Bind/Double Standard.

Comments

Benevolent Sexism: The 52 comments in this category highlighted statements or behaviors that undermined or penalized women while being presented in a positive way. The comments ranged from idealizing women, focusing on their appearance, giving backhanded compliments, or withholding opportunities in order to “protect” women from too much stress or responsibility. These comments were most frequently made in the workplace by men who were in a position of authority over the participant and who were 46–59 years of age:

• “I was told by a manager, ‘You are really smart for someone as pretty as you are.’”
• “In an ad-hoc meeting where I was the only woman, I raised my hand to make a comment. One of the men . . . called on me by saying something about hearing from the best-looking person in the room.”
• “I was complimented by a religion teacher for a paper I had written. He said what he loved about me was that I have so many feminine qualities, and in addition to that, I have a great mind.”
• “My boss told me directly that he wasn’t considering me for a liaison/committee position at the university where we work that would have responsibilities outside of regular work hours because I was a new mother.”
• “At church we are often told, ‘Sisters are more inherently spiritual than men.’”

Double Bind/Double Standard: 50 comments reflected the notion that women were expected to behave according to gender stereotypes and were punished for behaviors that would seem acceptable in men. Women reported that comments in this category were most commonly made in the workplace by men who were in a position of authority and who were 36–45 years of age.

• “In my performance review, my boss said, ‘You are smart and capable. However, your direct communication style is seen as abrasive by the other people on the team.’ I was the only woman on the team.”
• “I was told by a male manager, ‘As a woman, you are too aggressive.’”
• “As I was speaking passionately about something we all should care about, I was told I was being ‘emotional.’ Confusing passion with emotion happens a good deal in the workplace. It’s happened to me more than once.”
• “[A male subordinate] and I were discussing leadership roles for employees in our lab. He told me that when I directed employees (assign tasks, make slight corrections for data collection and protocols), it was ‘super bratty.’”

Speaking up against sexism can be a powerful force for reducing gender inequity around stereotypes, as it can help others challenge their own biases and model more equitable forms of communication. Further, being prepared to respond to everyday sexism can help women feel more confident in their interactions with others. To learn more about the research and ways women responded, read the brief, “Sexist Comments & Responses: Stereotypes .”

?

Prof./Dr. Susan R. Madsen is a global thought leader, author, speaker, and scholar on the topic of women and leadership. She is also the Inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project . Thanks to Robbyn T. Scribner and Dr. April Townsend for their great work on this study!