AMBIVALENT SEXISM
This is a combination of benevolent and hostile sexism. People who engage in ambivalent sexism may vary between seeing women as good, pure, and innocent and seeing them as manipulative or deceitful, depending on the situation.
Some researchers argue that hostile and benevolent sexism support one another as part of a system.
Benevolent sexism offers women protection in exchange for them adopting a more subordinate role, while hostile sexism targets those who deviate from this. For this reason, some refer to the former as “Plan A” and the latter as “Plan B.”
Some examples of ambivalent sexism include:
- glorifying traditionally feminine behavior and demonizing “unladylike” behavior, in media coverage, for example
- hiring someone because they are attractive, then firing them if they do not respond to sexual advances
- differentiating between “good” women and “bad” women based on how they dress
Institutional sexism
This refers to sexism that is entrenched in organizations and institutions, such as:
- the government
- the legal system
- the education system
- the healthcare system
- financial institutions
- the media
- other workplaces
When policies, procedures, attitudes, or laws create or reinforce sexism, this is institutional sexism.
Institutional sexism is widespread. It can be hostile, benevolent, or ambivalent. One of the clearest indicators is the lack of gender diversity among political leaders and business executives.
Another indicator is a gender pay gap. This refers to a difference in the median earnings between women and men. In the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a woman earns 82 cents for every dollar that a man earns. Overall, women earn less than men in almost every occupation.
This gap is wider for women with children and for Black, Latina, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander women.
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