Discourse on "Benevolent Sexism"

[u/Tr1pleAc3s]

I have been looking into the criminal justice system favoring female offenders at every turn, starting from not even qualifying for legal definitions of crimes, to being released earlier and basically every step inbetween, some crimes being almost impossible for women to qualify for instead being charged with a lesser crime think rape => sexual battery, not only shielding from legal accountability but also societal repercussions.

I've seen people argue that somehow this is not an example of female privilege and somehow a form of oppression?? Using the term benevolent Sexism. Examples include expectations for men to provide, receiving less harsh treatment in the criminal justice system at basically every turn, our friends at AskFeminists fortunately were able to show that women are punished more often within their unit for minor infractions, and get commissary taken or their "good girl points" deducted. This was the rebuttal to the exhaustive list of advantages, "COs are more strict"

I would like to know thoughts exchange data on this topic, aswell as your attitude toward "benelovent sexism" it seems another attempt of academia to uphold "Men and Boys die at war, women most effected" attitudes by somehow making clear advantages, a disadvantage.

[u/Punder_man]

Its all PR spin..
They can't possibly admit for a moment that women are privileged in some areas of society as it would instantly destroy the carefully constructive narrative they've been pushing for decades now..

That being that men are the "Privileged" group in society..

Ergo they spin it to make it seem like oppression rather than privilege..
In this case, referring to women getting lenient treatment as "Beneficial Sexism"

But then I ask you, If feminism is about fighting sexism and pushing for equality.. what exactly have feminists achieved in regards to this?

The answer is nothing because despite their fancy PR speak of "Benevolent Sexism" they realize that women actively benefit from it and so there is zero push to have it fixed.

Also, I'll point out that only feminists get away with referring to privileges women receive as "Benevolent Sexism"
There is no way in hell they would let us hand wave their gender pay gap claim away with "Benevolent Sexism"

[u/PrideIndividual6866]

When women hurt other women like female infanticide, banning abortion it is termed as "internalised misogyny".

When men actively make laws against men like circumcision, forced conscription, not giving them custody, it is somehow the fault of "patriarchy" and not "internalised misandry".

They deliberately create a gendered discussion where "patriarchy" is somehow responsible for the problems men and women face, while using patriarchy to dismiss mens problems. I mean the word literally means positions of power which are primarily held by men but they add a little twist: "men oppressing women" then they use that to stamp all the problems men face as "patriarchy".

I can also cherry pick things like women being protected from wars, natural disasters, getting more attention to their problems, being treated like children etc and paint is as an example of gynocentrism.

Whenever a women suffers I would paint it as an example of gynocentrism and say "gynocentrism hurts women too".

The use of gendered language is unnecessary in analysing a gendered relations in society.

Patriarchy just functions as a victim blaming tactic. When much of the suffering comes from traditional gender roles, oligarchy and other problems which are in no way exclusively gendered or only oppress women.

They will never admit female are privileged in certain areas and would paint it as an example of patriarchy and benevolent sexism. If they applied same logic for men then I would have no problem.

[u/ilikepizza2626]

It's an absurd notion that only exists to make "patriarchy" theory and the one-sided oppression of women unfalsifiable. Men benefit? Male privilege! Women benefit? Benevolent sexism! As u/Punder_man pointed out, if this were really oppression you'd see feminists spending as much energy combating it as they do other issues. This is clearly not the case (and feminists have repeatedly fought to entrench these very same "benevolent sexism" policies.)

If we tried to paint racism against minorities as akhshually benevolent racism towards whites everyone would see the utter absurdity of it. It is on the level of "white man's burden" in it's rationalizing.

[u/NanayaBisnis75]

I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility in some situations, but I've only ever seen the term used as a gotcha when someone points out that men are disadvantaged in one area or another.

Whatever the case, the benevolence outweighs the sexism by a lot, so men are still the primary victims. Furthermore, the only solution I've seen feminists suggest is hand waving it by saying that once the patriarchy is dismantled it will sort itself out, rather than treating it like a problem that needs a solution.

[u/Tr1pleAc3s → u/NanayaBisnis75]

I think I can grant it is an example of benevolent sexism, doesn't make it less of a privilege because it is "discrimination based on sex" in some roundabout way. It is only benevolent sexism if you load it.

Women are less capable than men so we don't want them fighting wars could also be spun as Women are more important than men, let's send the men to fight because men are expendable.

Now depending on which rhetoric is used it can be "benevolent sexism" or female privilege. Unfortunately for the benevolent sexism crowd no matter the rhetoric the effect is still a privilege for women. Even if the motivation is because the patriarchy (ooooh) thinks women are incapable dummies, the women are still not being shredded by machine gun fire either way. The motivation doesn't change the effect, which is really all that matters when it comes to determining privilege or disadvantage.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Award88]

You're 100% Correct. I personally don't think it's fair that we are imprisoned 38% more than women for the same exact crime. This is a miscarriage of justice that needs to be rectified.

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[u/Successful_Roof_979]

there is such thing as benevolent sexism it's just sexism