For you, we have told you what misogyny is, how it emerged and who is a misogynist.
Misogyny, which is experienced all over the world and which we encounter frequently in our lives, means misogyny, as many people know better. This term has such a wide expression that even some curses and actions in daily life can be an indicator of misogyny. Therefore, in order to be more careful and sensitive, we answered questions such as what is misogyny, how did it come about, and who is a misogynist?
What is misogyny?
Misogyny (misogynia) is the coldness, dislike or exaggerated hostility towards women. The English term “misogyny” is derived from the Greek words woman (gyne) and hate (misein). Compared to anti-female sexism, misogyny is more common among men, although some women may harbor hostility towards women. Misogyny can occur even in a daily swearing or action.
How did this term come about?
The first traces of misogyny appear in Greek mythology. Zeus prepares a gift to punish Prometheus, who stole fire from the sky and brought it down to earth. This gift is a woman whose example is designed as an unprecedented evil. Zeus orders the Olympian gods under his command to prepare a box. Then he sends the box to Prometheus' brother Epimetheus as a gift. Epimetheus, unable to resist Pandora's charm, makes her his wife. According to the Greek myth, when the box given to Pandora as a dowry was opened, people were condemned to sadness, premature aging, sickness and death in pain. Pandora opens the box and evil enters the earth with a woman. However, the accused here is not the male god who created evil and pain, but Pandora, who was the first woman in Greek mythology who was believed to have opened the box that was given as a gift and was told not to open, and thus was believed to show weakness by succumbing to her curiosity.
In monotheistic religions, it is told that men are superior to women. Especially in the Torah, it is written that the man was created first and then the woman was created from the rib of the man. Thus, the idea that men are superior to women emerges. Although such a creation is not mentioned in the Qur'an and the Bible, the same idea is present in Islam and Christianity. This idea states that women are in the background and under the control of men. In Christianity and Judaism, the female body is seen as the embodiment of evil and sin. In Islam, the female body is a symbol of provocation rather than evil.
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Who is called a misogynist?
There are more mysogenists in every area of life than you can imagine. While some people are aware of misogyny, others do it unconsciously. In other words, there are many misogynists around you, maybe even in your family. The reason why people are misogynistic may be related to negative events or mental problems in the past. For example, the disappointment of a misogynist individual by his mother, older sister, teacher or girlfriend is considered one of the factors for the onset of misogyny. Also, mental illness can have a big impact.
So how does misogyny show itself in society?
It is possible to see misogyny throughout the society. Violence against women, women who do the same job as men but earn less, seeing women as sexual objects and cheating are just some examples of misogyny. In addition, the idea that women should only raise children and deal with housework is one of the best examples of misogyny. Apart from these, since some of the curses you use in your daily life are aimed at humiliating women, these curses can make you a misogynist without realizing it. Therefore, we must always be careful and sensitive.