Sexism is a very controversial topic in our countr Essays - Feminism

Sexism is a very controversial topic in our country and all over the world. It was believed that sexism was typically against women, however with feminists on the rise, men are becoming victims of sexism too. Researchers (Russell and Oswald, 2016) found that past studies have focused primarily on prevalence, incidence and attitudinal correlates of male-to- female harassment. However, it is less known about the number of men that have been sexually harassed. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recorded increasing rates of men's claims of sexual harassment over the past fifteen years from 11.6% in 1997 to 16.3% in 2011. Male harassment continues to be a lesser known occurrence but these targeted men are equally as devastated (Russell and Oswald, 2016). Sexism is huge when it comes to marketing and the media. More specifically women, but also men, tend to look a certain way in advertisements. Women are very tall, skinny, tanned skin, long silky hair, and usually wearing something provocative. Similarly, men usually are shirtless having very large muscles, a defined abdomen, and tanned skin. Researchers (Plakoyiannaki, Mathioudaki, Dimitratos, and Zotos 2008) found that advertised images from the internet may act as agents that reinforce societal norms regarding gender equality and depiction of sexuality. This claim confirms that online advertising bestows consumers with an identity by communicating role stereotypes of women. These stereotypes are also a matter of discussion in advertising in television and print ads, where body images are distorted and accepted as normal. This is a primary means for introducing female role stereotypes and promoting sexism. Gender identities are socially constructed and advertising suggests forms of self- presentation that people use to define their roles in society (Plakoyiannaki et al., 2008). Even in other countries, sexism is still around. In Italy, (Piano, Marino, Brustia, and Rolle 2014) the women do not suffer from any form of deficiencies, as in living conditions, education, or health care, however they lack opportunity. Females born in Italy do not have the power to express their thoughts and actions. Their opportunity to control their own lives are lower than if Italy was a country with a real social equality. With much research over the last century, women today have exceeded men in education and training, however they are still very much excluded from the opportunities to hold power. Women are clearly underrepresented and under the mark of gender stereotypes when it comes to career opportunities. Even women who study more and are more active in the labour market remain a quarter compared to men, especially in management positions (Piano, Marino, Brustia, and Rolle 2014). There are Spanish organizations that have been focusing on the problems of sex discrimination and gender equality (Royo- Vela, Aldas-Manzano, Kuster, and Vila 2008). Men were typically known as the "bread winners" but this has been greatly modified due to women's effect of decision making. Because of this, it's important that cultural portrayals are kept up with societal changes. At the end of last century, Spanish women had a high unemployment rate which highlights that taking care of the family at home continued to be a woman's responsibility. However, the last two decades have had notable changes in that there was a departure from the traditional family model. These changes were due to both men and women having easier access to educational facilities (Royo- Vela, Aldas-Manzano, Kuster, and Vila 2008). It has been noted that there is sexism towards men, sexism in marketing and the media, sexism in other countries, however the only thing more controversial than sexism itself, is sexism in the workplace. Women have gone from stay-at-home-mothers to lawyers, doctors, police officers, and have even ran for president of the United States. Though, are women being properly compensated for all of their hardwork? Researchers (Fraser, Osborne, and Sibley 2015) found that in 2011 the average gender pay gap estimated at 14.8% which is equivalent to women earning 85 cents for every dollar men earn. Furthermore, it's been reviewed that women are still viewed as incompetent in the workplace compared to their male equivalent. This sexist stereotype hinders women's ability to advance in what is typically male-dominated fields. This discrimination against women in the workplace is an occurrence that greatly delays the chance for a world with gender equality (Fraser, Osborne, and Sibley 2015). As stated, sexism is a very controversial topic. The purpose of this research project is to investigate the effects of sexism by creating a scale to measure sexism. It was predicted that males would probably score higher on the scale than females, but would