As I understand it - Sexism refers more to the actions you take, while Misogyny refers more to the attitude/belief system which can motivate such actions. Sexist actions can be motivated by Misogyny, but could also be motivated by ignorance (i.e. someone genuinely doesn't think woman are inferior but hasn't considered how a specific action or situation may be Sexist (we all wear cultural blinders)).

Or that's what I think.

Bryant

Last edited Tue Jun 10, 2014, 11:01 AM - Edit history (2)

In their view (having worked in all-black Chicago high schools for 34+ years) prejudice is one's personal pre-judgment based on received stereotypes or some other beliefs. Racism is prejudice + power, the institutionalized and systematic discrimination of minorities. Black people believe that anyone can be prejudiced, but only white, privileged participants who control institutional, discriminatory systems can be called racist. Thus, blacks can be prejudiced toward whites; but without institutionalized power, they cannot rightly be called racist.

In applying this thinking to sexism and misogyny, generally, the same partly holds true with one variation. Sexism is the sum of received stereotypes that produce social discrimination -- individual or random group treatment -- toward girls and women. Unlike its 'prejudice' counterpart, sexism can be extended to describe the codified, systematic use of discrimination against women that reveals itself in economic, legal, religious and social systems' policies and practices -- exclusions, double standards, lower pay, undue legal burdens -- exerted by institutions.

My comparison differs from the racial context of the above words in my belief that misogyny drives sexism. It is the deep-seated belief (driven by formed emotional habit) that drives the codifying of women as spiritually inferior, property, and expendable, traffickable bodies for male use and profit, with all the attendant fear, loathing and private constrictions that drive private male domination behaviors and public, institutionalized sexism. Misogyny is deeply held feeling and belief. Sexism is its public expression.

Women's economic, legal and social lives are affected by both, but their feeling of the misogyny around them is more emotional, spiritually hurtful. Any misogyny directly experienced is soul killing and drives women into fight or flight behaviors. Sexism has some institutional remedies, and often simply drives women to adapt to patriarchal systems, or confront personally those who unconsciously reveal it. Women tend to know what to do about sexism. They tend not to know what to do about misogyny, except, perhaps, seek solace with each other and through the power of numbers or persuasion.

There is a parallel connection between minorities and women, when they realize that even if they practice either prejudice or sexism toward the privileged power group, they cannot hurt them because of the broad-based institutions that buttress the privileged persons' status. There is no verbal equivalent for "nigger," and there is no verbal equivalent for "cunt" or "bitch" that leverages power for either 'out' group.

The prejudiced or sexist individual can unconsciously be so without necessarily being racist or misogynist. The practice of consciousness is key. Institutions generally "excuse" the privileged from any direct responsibility for expressing racism or sexism. If they display a pattern that supports such institutions, then individuals can rightly be called consciously racist or sexist.

And after all this time I still can't spell it right. Or know how to pronounce it correctly since I've only ever known of it in writing.

Good question though, I still don't know what the difference is between the two words. I prefer to not use "misogynist" except for here because few people seem to know what it means at all... like, never heard the word before.

I don't know, seems to me "sexist" covers all the bases, and anyone would know what it means (and be able to both spell and pronounce it correctly... LOL!)

I so know what you mean about not being able to spell it correctly. I always get my y's and i's in the wrong place! Living in a culture where shortening words for convenience is a part of life, I've always been why do four syllables when talking if there's something exactly the same that only takes two to get out.

Thanks to all three of you for yr replies, especially ancianita whose explanation of where the difference lies was something I went back and read twice because it made sense to me. In real life (not DU) I'm going to stick with 'he's a sexist wanker' though coz if I said 'he's a misogynistic wanker' all I'd get would be blank looks, not at the wanker part which everyone understands, but the misogynist part