Before you enter a discourse that might send you into an existential crisis (trust me, it’s worth it), I invite you first to answer the following questions:
- Have you ever been called “aggressive” or “bossy”?
- Do nutritional guidelines and medical advice work well for you? Or do you experience confusion surrounding health and find that many guidelines lack data for your biological needs?
- Do you feel like you are underestimated because of your gender?
As you might’ve already guessed, women are more likely to recall negative experiences from the above questions in comparison to men. However, these are just a few examples of how sexism is manifested in our communities. There are many extreme cases where sexism literally affects the survival of women. For instance, according to the United Nations (UN), 64 million more women faced food poverty in 2024, compared to men.
But why are these struggles so universalized among women? Why are they closely tied to the male population’s well-being? And what does Women’s Day have to do with all of this?
The answer to realizing equality: understanding intersectionality
“Intersectionality” was coined by law professor, scholar, and activist Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1986 to describe how various social injustices operate together, exist interconnectedly, and exacerbate one another. To better understand this concept, let’s study a legal case outlined by Crenshaw in a 2015 Washington Post article, “Why Intersectionality Can’t Wait”.
In 1976, Emma DeGraffenreid and other black women in the U.S. sued General Motors for discrimination. General Motors’ hiring requirements were designed so that jobs opened to Black people were limited to Black men, while jobs opened to women were limited to white women. As a result, Black women were denied opportunities to work for the company simply because of their race and gender.
However, the court dismissed Degraffenreid’s case on the grounds that General Motors hired black men, so charges of racism did not stand, and they also hired white women, therefore, charges of sexism were also rejected.
In this example, Black women were subjected to both gender and race discrimination and left unprotected by the law. This form of oppression was justified because society lacked awareness to protect the rights of people who fell into two or more discriminated groups. More importantly, social issues were understood as isolated situations, rather than a reflection of the problematic social construct that affects everyone.
This is where intersectionality comes in. Crenshaw highlighted that the concept addresses the overlooked struggles of individuals who are “constituents within groups that claim them as members, but often fail to represent them.” Ultimately, intersectionality serves to empower all oppressed communities.
Sexism is the impediment to our success
Many tend to think that social injustice causes only concern for the targeted oppressed individuals. And in the case of sexism and racism, only women of colour are affected. Understanding intersectionality reveals that sexism negatively impacts everyone in various ways.
In a Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, research found that amongst 62 countries, nations where sexism is more prominent showed lower productivity, more collective violence and lower healthy lifespan.
To approach this in a simpler perspective, imagine what the world would be like without wireless transmission technology (essential to the development of Wi-Fi), home security system, and chemotherapy. On top of that, no access to a dishwasher, windshield wipers for cars, or chocolate chip cookies!
I can go on and on about female accomplishments, but you get the gist. Convenience? Gone. The chance of cancer survival? Gone. The treat that lit up countless moments in your life? Gone. That’s what our world would be like if female accomplishments were dismissed.
And considering many of these inventions or discoveries were made when gender discrimination was extremely severe, one can imagine how much more society could’ve benefited from simply respecting women’s rights and values.
The social parasite: inequality
When one group is oppressed, it becomes a reflection that our society tolerates injustice and fundamental disrespect towards human lives. What begins with a sense of superiority births a social parasite. This sense of superiority usually begins with “just a mean comment.” Then, it rapidly expands into justifications of verbal harassment, exploitation, violence, or worst, genocide and war.
And just like a parasite feeding on its host, social injustices also feed on dominators. Sexism brings along terrible struggles for women, but it also subjects men to an unhealthy standard of masculinity that, for instance, directly affects their physical health.
According to an article from the American Psychological Association, men live over six fewer years in countries that most strongly endorse precarious manhood expectations, compared to cultures with the lesser values of hyper-masculinity.
As seen, gender inequality is a lose-lose situation. Rights stripped away from women constitute male privilege, but it also forms extreme, unhealthy expectations for men. Through this lens, sexism becomes quite ridiculous: it causes women to suffer from having too little, while men struggle to carry the rights that belonged to women in the first place.
Please don’t misunderstand Women’s Day
So, how do we overcome our collective sufferings? Women’s Day is a great example.
It is a consistent effort in celebrating women and countering oppression with support, rather than another form of oppression.
Many might disagree, especially those who are privileged, because equality often feels like oppression for the privileged. So, we must understand that one group’s happiness isn’t equivalent to another group’s misery. Women’s Day is not about women’s superiority, it’s about peace and collective respect.
Celebrating women is necessary in a society where many sexual inequalities have yet to be addressed. Women’s Day is a reminder that our individual attitude, thoughts, speeches, and actions are crucial in realizing a flourishing society.
And this can only come with recognizing that all humans are equally valuable and the firm belief that celebrating others is fundamental to our own happiness. For it is undeniable that a truly great society is grounded in collective success.
