Internalized misogyny isn't an issue that is easy to tackle, especially it's a norm to think that only men can oppress women.
That, of course, is false. The act of women oppressing women has been an issue that stuck around since misogyny itself was present. Women was told to act a certain way, be a certain way and become a certain way. From our mothers who did not know better, making comments to act more girly, to our peers who are new to the world, not knowing that their words and actions are harmful, little things like that just makes it more difficult to address this internalized misogyny within us.
Awareness
Things are said easier than done.
It’s a quote that bears truth to many situations, this issue applies too. All three of us could tell everyone about how bad internalised misogyny is, how vicious the comments can be, how discouraging it is for girls to be beaten down just because they do not fit the perfect definition of a ‘female’, yet if no one actually sit and think for a moment, nothing can be solved.
Awareness isn’t just knowing the issue. We all know what internalised misogyny is, and we all know what it does to women. Awareness is also knowing the signs of the issue, whether it’s by people around you, or yourself.
Sometimes, instead of just listening to an opinion and reacting ‘Yes I agree’, have we ever thought about applying said opinion to ourselves and wonder, “What makes me different than what was said by them?”
Taking Action
Can't you act more ladylike?
All of us need to admit once in our lifetime, we are perpetrators to many issues in this world today. We all have contributed that one uncalled-for-comment to feed the issue.
It’s easy to disassociate ourselves from issues when you read it from an article or a book that tends to put blame on actions of doing it, rather than the people themselves. When we read them, we will put ourselves on a pedestal, thinking that there’s no way I'm the bad guy.
A bad guy wouldn’t even bother to read such thing, right? Then if you’re not the bad guy and I’m not one either, then who is?
At the very least, all of us should recognize our harmful contribution to internalized misogyny, and take steps to correct our words and actions so that we do not give another grudgeful look to that girl who dressed ‘weirdly’, or telling a girl to close her legs and be proper.
Our first thought may be something that is disgusting to its core when coming across something that is different that what we’re used to, but what makes us the good guys is that we know that’s disgusting and we are aware and mature enough to not unleash the hurtful words to someone else.
At the end of the day, fighting such issues that are so deeply rooted to society sometimes feel like a never ending cycle. You’ll feel like the different one, the one with different opinions and the uncommon against a hive. But that’s okay because one step at a time is what we need right now before we break from the pressure and go back to square one.
Rome wasn't built in a day, but it burnt down in one
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