Misogynist is a term for people who have an extreme hatred or dislike of women. This behavior is known as misogyny. Most of the perpetrators of misogyny are men, but there are also women who have this behavior.
Misogynist comes from the word miso which means hate and gyne which means woman. So, misogynism can be interpreted as hatred towards women.
This behavior is often associated with male privilege, patriarchal customs, and gender discrimination. In certain cases, misogynism can even increase the risk of violence and sexual harassment against women.
Misogynistic behavior is often confused with gynophobia. In fact, the two are different conditions.
Gynophobia is a phobia or an excessive fear of women, so that the sufferer will panic or be very anxious when dealing with women. Meanwhile, misogynism is a very extreme hatred of women without being accompanied by fear.
Factors that cause a person to be misogynistic
There are many reasons why a person may have a bad view of women, resulting in a misogynistic attitude. The following are some of the things that can make someone really hate women:
Childhood trauma
Misogyny can be formed from childhood. A person can be misogynistic if he has experienced trauma or abuse from women as a child.
For example, a misogynist may have been the victim of abuse by her mother or caregiver, been bullied by a sister or female friend, or punished by a violent female teacher.
In addition, trauma or bad experiences as an adult can make a person misogynistic, for example having had an unhealthy love relationship with a woman.
Wrong parenting
Misogyny behavior is also often associated with wrong parenting. For example, a son is at risk of being misogynistic later in life if he is subjected to a harsh upbringing, while his sister gets preferential treatment from his parents.
This attitude can start with jealousy, then get worse until it becomes misogyny. Therefore, to prevent misogynistic behavior, parents need to treat their children equally and fairly regardless of gender.
Toxic masculinity mindset(toxic masculinity)
The wrong mindset about masculinity is called toxic masculinity (toxic masculinity). This condition is also often cited as one of the causes of men being misogynistic.
The notion that men should not cry, that men are always stronger and tougher than women, or that women are sexual objects are some forms of toxic masculinity.
The formation of this mindset can make some men unable to accept that there are women who are more successful than himself, resulting in hatred for women. This attitude is usually born from a strong patriarchal culture in the community or family.
Misogynistic Men Traits
Not all men show that he is a misogynist. There are men who appear polite and kind to their female friends, but are actually misogynistic.
The following are some of the characteristics of a man or woman who is a misogynist:
1. Treat women differently
A misogynist will be kind, friendly, and friendly with other men, but the opposite is true for women. He often spoke rudely, behaved cynically, and was often condescending.
Misogynists will not feel guilty after making fun of, physically or emotionally intimidating, or even harassing women, whether in a social setting or in personal relationships.
2. Feeling unrivaled
Men who behave in misogyny are usually very competitive with women and are unwilling or difficult to accept that their female colleagues or friends are more successful than they are. For him, women should not be better than men in anything.
3. Behave selfishly and like to manage
A misogynist believes that his position as a man is superior and is far above women. This trait makes them difficult to compromise and tend to be authoritarian in a relationship.
In a romantic relationship or marriage, a man who behaves misogynistically will usually only be more selfish, ignore the opinions and desires of his partner, and always think of his partner as weak and wrong. A misogynist can also be possessive of his partner.
4. Blaming women
Misogynistic men often blame women for everything, both in their relationships and in their lives. Starting from small things, for example the reason he was late for work, to bigger things, such as the reason why he didn't get a promotion at the office. However, it is not the woman's fault.
Therefore, women living with misogynistic men often have to continually apologize for something they didn't do.
You may be wondering, can a misogynist man be in a romantic relationship? The answer is yes.
A misogynist can get into a relationship, even get married, because they are still human beings with physical and emotional needs. Until now, misogynistic behavior is also not classified as a mental disorder.
Usually, women who are in love or married to misogynistic men are more at risk of being trapped in unhealthy relationships (toxic relationship).
If you are currently in a relationship with a misogynist and are feeling very depressed, try talking to a psychologist about your problem. Do not hesitate to report to the authorities if you experience harassment or violence due to misogynistic behavior.