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shadowandblossom

(718 posts)
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 01:12 PM Apr 2016

aversive racism and aversive sexism in the 2016 race

I'm sort of straining to understand the attitudes and the double standards I keep seeing in this election. Ms. put out this article that was kind of interesting. But does anybody know of any good journal articles or anything that address the gender double standards here? I'm really stumped by it, and straining to find the right words and ideas to understand it. So maybe somebody here was a women's studies major and knows of some good sources?

I'm just sort of awed by how male politicians can be loved and admired while doing the exact same things that a female politician is treated like the devil for.

Anyway here is a snippet from the article, it's okay. But I don't see anything that addresses the magnitude of the issue and some of the things I've been seeing.:
http://msmagazine.com/blog/2016/03/17/3-ways-to-tell-if-your-distaste-for-hillary-clinton-is-sexist/

There is a concept in the study of racial prejudice, called aversive racism, which is particularly instructive in helping to explain the visceral nature of some responses to Hillary Clinton. According to research published in Psychological Science,

…many people who explicitly support egalitarian principles and believe themselves to be nonprejudiced also unconsciously harbor negative feelings and beliefs about blacks and other historically disadvantaged groups. Aversive racists thus experience ambivalence between their egalitarian beliefs and their negative feelings toward blacks.

Because people understand that equality is optimal, behavior and perspectives that support unequal outcomes for blacks are to be avoided, and are damaging to how people think of themselves. As a result, prejudicial behavior will emerge as “often unintentional, when their behavior can be justified on the basis of some factor other than race.” This allows aversive racists to continue to see themselves as nonracist while simultaneously engaging in racially prejudicial behavior. Simply put, when there is no doubt that one’s behavior will be seen as racist, aversive racists avoid that behavior.

Alternatively, when there are other reasons beyond race that can be used to justify discriminatory behavior, racism will rear its ugly head. For example, an aversive racist might say that it’s not that they have a problem with blacks, they just want to live in a safe neighborhood. Thus, crime and safety become the explanations for refusals to live among blacks, even those of their own income class.

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aversive racism and aversive sexism in the 2016 race (Original Post) shadowandblossom Apr 2016 OP
Thank you for this thoughtful post SharonClark Apr 2016 #1
Excellent post and good link! BlueMTexpat Apr 2016 #2
K&R! DemonGoddess Apr 2016 #3
nice post! Her Sister Apr 2016 #4
 

Her Sister

(6,444 posts)
4. nice post!
Mon Apr 4, 2016, 08:22 AM
Apr 2016

Wondering if people holding sexist views and feelings will even read it and if they do, would they care. But it helps explain what is going on for us who do care and are perplexed by some peoples overreactions towards this great presidential candidate!

Thanks!!

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