Have you ever done push-ups? If you can’t do push-ups, have you ever done girl push-ups instead? For those who don’t know, girl push-ups are not push-ups done by a girl; instead, they are push ups performed with your knees on the ground in order to make it easier to complete. So why would an exercise that could easily be called “knee push ups” or “modified push ups” refer to women while regular push-ups are not called boy push-ups? Well, this is a lot more common that some would believe, and oftentimes the word “girl” is slapped onto the front of different words as an adjective to describe an easier, simpler, or weaker version of the topic.
Why does this happen? One reason is gender stereotypes, which are assumptions regarding common traits (including strengths and weaknesses), based on group categorization. There’s been progress to create an equal society between men and women; however sexism still exists. In order to see how gender bias and stereotypes have impacted modern day sexism, it is important to evaluate gender stereotypes from the Early Modern Era in Southern Europe.
During the 1500-1700s in Europe, there were different social statuses among the population, and additionally, guilds, a group of workers with a similar craft or interest, were archetypal patriarchal institutions. Clare Crowston, stated that guilds have been described as a corporate system of male terrain where women had little to no role. Few women had the ability to learn a trade or become an apprentice, and the majority of women were widows, wives, or daughters of masters.
Additionally, during the Italian Renaissance, women were treated in a similar manner. Typically women and marriage were seen as a type of currency. During both of these time periods, women were taking on the role of raising children and caring for the home, and European society’s view of women established a long tradition of gender stereotypes and roles.
Because of the gender stereotypes discussed in the two previous paragraphs, modern day sexism has continued. Gender equality has improved in the 21st century; however, gender stereotypes continue to affect the thoughts, beliefs, and actions of the younger generation. A study that was conducted in Rome evaluated the internalization of gender roles in children. This study, gave a survey to children between the ages of 8-11. The survey asked questions about which actions, household jobs, and abilities were for each gender, and the students were able to answer man, woman, or both. The results showed that the impact of gender stereotypes were already traceable at this age, and due to a different path of primary [socialization], boys and girls develop their gender identity consistent with social expectations. Because these stereotypes are taught and seen by younger generations, verbal and physical abuse have become more frequent and normalized in teenagers.
Gender roles can lead to victim-blaming attitudes and comments that trap victims into toxic relationships. A study by Sara Arrojo evaluated the intensity of dating violence in teenagers. She found that participants with higher perceived severity levels had, on average, lower levels of victim-blaming attitudes. A similar trend was found for ambivalent sexism, where the participants presenting higher levels of perceived severity tended to also show lower levels of both hostile and benevolent sexism. While there are other factors that lead to violence in teenagers, many of these justifications for violence stem from gender stereotypes.
The connection between the gender roles in the Early Modern period and current day sexism demonstrates the impact of history on current issues. The traditional gender roles of women, such as raising children and taking care of the house, are not the issue. It is the gender stereotypes that have resulted from traditional gender roles.
The belief that gender defines the abilities and wants of a person is the problem, and it can lead to bigger issues such as domestic violence and victim blaming. These stereotypes constrict a person’s ability to achieve goals in the workforce, education, and in the home. Because of this, many young men and women limit themselves from their true potential and wants. Gender roles from the Early Modern Era have changed the views of men and women, and it has impacted the social norms of what is considered possible depending on the traditional beliefs of who one should be.
