GENDER STEREOTYPES: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW TO COUNTER THEM - LOVE-E-PSYCHOLOGY

Gender stereotypes: what they are and how they can be countered

All Italians are witty, with an outgoing personality, almost "folkloristic", and indiscriminately love pasta and pizza. The Germans, on the other hand, are very organized, rigid at work and "summer show off that pretty sandal and sock look. The British, finally, traditionally sip 5 o'clock tea, put ketchup everywhere and, in general, don't know how to cook. In a few simple sentences, we wanted to give you an example of what it means to think by stereotypes, or by fixed categories, "prepackaged" concepts that are taken as "absolutes." In short, stereotypes are a simplified representation of reality.

They cover any theme, not just the differences between countries and cultures. Among the most dangerous stereotypes that still persist today, there are those of gender that sometimes cause irreparable damage that we often do not notice.

What do you mean by "gender stereotypes"?

As we have mentioned, a stereotype is a superficial representation of reality. It is a "generalized and simplistic opinion, which is not based on the personal evaluation of a certain fact, but which is repeated and automatically attributed to certain people, things or situations. Gender stereotypes, therefore, are simplified beliefs that they confer specific characteristics precisely on the basis of sexual gender, on being a man or a woman.

Their repercussions are more serious than one might think, because they limit to varying degrees the freedom of each individual to be what they really are or to become what they really want.

Examples of gender stereotypes

Blue and light blue are for boys, while pink is a female color. If dance and artistic gymnastics are disciplines for girls and girls, football and basketball are the sports par excellence for boys and boys. , the judge, the doctor and the entrepreneur are professions for men, while a career as a teacher, in human resources or as a psychologist is more suitable for women. The male figure is more likely to reach important positions in the workplace, because that of women must be dedicated, as has always been the case, also to the care of the home and of the children. Made and provocative phrases? No, unfortunately, even today statements such as those just mentioned are not only the result of a provocation. These are concepts shared by many people, sometimes by the majority of the population, and they fall under the name of gender stereotypes.

To attribute such simplistic and reductive labels to preferences, tastes and attitudes only on the basis of the sex of birth is a phenomenon with the most unpleasant repercussions. In fact, gender stereotypes condition choices and behaviors in a subtle and often way without the conditioned person being aware of it. Furthermore, they act on equal opportunities in the workplace and profession, preventing those who do not meet certain "criteria" from accessing them or improving their position as they would like.

The woman in the stereotype of modern society

If for men gender stereotypes can be the cause of the so-called "toxic masculinity", that is a series of behaviors based on great self-confidence, on denying any form of emotionality, sadness or fragility and on knowing how to enforce oneself, for women have a different but still serious impact. To think that after years and years of feminist struggles and battles for equality between the sexes and for their opportunities, still today many women are forced to endure deprivation and abuse is sick. We are not talking about purely physical abuses - those are the strongest, most terrible and clearly "visible" consequences in the eyes of all -, but of those made of words, which manage to put the female figure in the background, devaluing it.

In general, in Italy, the female stereotype focuses above all on behaviors in favor of others, which are defined as "pro-community". They concern "care, help, interest in one's family and friends, everything that the Anglo-Saxons call"taking care". We are, therefore, still anchored to the" image of the woman linked to the domestic outbreak, to the one who is fully realized in setting up a home and taking care of children rather than a person willing to emerge in other areas, such as in the world of work. . The female figure continues to be seen as subordinate to men and, according to a research by Istat, 58.8% of the population aged 18-74 finds themselves in these stereotypes.

Gender stereotypes underlying violence

Stereotypes are like prejudices: they can make us feel "safe" because they are considered consolidated and immutable certainties, but, in reality, they block us in our ignorance, preventing us from growing on a personal, emotional and knowledge level. The most tragic implication of gender stereotypes are undoubtedly the still too numerous episodes of violence that occur in our country and in the world. In fact, when women "break" stereotypes, in the "best-case scenario", they can be singled out as outsider. For example, how many times have we heard that a woman who does not want children is a bad person, with no regard for her own life and that of others?

Here, in the worst cases, the influence of stereotypes on society can lead a girl to experience the worst of her nightmares. feminicides must be sought in the structural and symbolic dimension of the imbalance of power between men and women that feeds on stereotypes and a language based on the masculine, starting from words and idioms that should be banned ".

Get rid of stereotypes

Countering and defeating gender stereotypes is not easy, because their roots lie in centuries of retrograde cultures and traditions that continue to permeate today's society. The first fundamental step to take is to denounce situations of violation of "equality of rights," to rely on associations and organizations that fight episodes of this type every day and that help women of all ages to free themselves from that involuntary conditioning that too often touches them.

Then, the "education of children and adolescents to respect the other" is fundamental, explaining to them the concepts of equal opportunities and "openness to diversity. Less fixed labels and mental schemes are instilled in today's young people, less abuses and violations." there will be rights in the future.

There are already several activities with this regard. One of these is the project InspirinGirls which leads to professional middle schools, scientists, sportsmen and managers who can encourage girls and boys not to limit themselves in defining their own path and to follow their ambitions, whatever they may be, free from still so ingrained gender stereotypes.