Despite advances that women have made in society in the past 100 years, misogyny is still painfully prevalent. Women at all levels of society experience it at some time or another.
Misogyny is a term that applies to a broad scope of behaviors. It is defined as the “dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.”
The best way to disarm a misogynist is to see them for who they are and quarantine them socially.
Misogynists have no position in your life, regardless of your gender.
Here are 8 warning signs of a misogynist to be on the lookout for.
1. He speaks past women.
This warning sign can be fairly subtle, but once you know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to spot. Picture yourself in a bookstore. There’s a female employee at the register and a male employee scanning books behind her. Instead of asking the female emplyee a question, he speaks past her to ask the male employee instead. When the interaction is over, he walks away without acknowledging the female employee.
2. He “competes” with women.
Friendly competitions are normal and fun, but when a misogynist is competing with women for misogynistic reasons, it is usually neither normal nor fun. A misogynists competitiveness with women stems from the feeling that he is superior to her and is therefore entitled to whatever it is that he would win, from bragging rights to a promotion at work. This sort of competitiveness is not healthy.
3. He may be a cheater.
Anyone can be a cheater and anyone can cheat for any number of reasons. People in same-sex relationships cheat too and it has nothing to do with misogyny. What sets misogynists apart is the reason for their cheating. Misogynists tend to feel as though the needs of the women in their lives are secondary to their own, so monogamy is not owed if that’s not what they want. But you can bet that if a misogynist is cheated on, the tune changes.
4. He’s a “ghost” who comes back to life.
Ghosting is the practice of cutting ties with an individual, usually in a romantic setting of some kind, without any kind of warning or anything said about it at all. Like cheating, ghosting is a pretty common thing. Anyone can do it. In the case of a misogynist, he may ghost a woman because he got from her what he wanted. But wouldn’t you know it, as soon as he decides he wants something from her again, he’s a ghost who comes back to life. If you’ve been ghosted by a guy who suddenly starts up with you again, even if he’s not a misogynist, he’s probably a dud. Swipe left.
5. He’s sexually self-centered.
Misogyny is typically rooted in the belief that men are superior to women, and as a result, most misogynists put their own needs ahead of women. This can happen in the bedroom as well. If you’ve got a guy who gets what he wants and his little care for your wants and needs, you probably have a misogynist on your hands. And even if he isn’t a misogynist, he’s kind of a poor lover. Might consider moving on to someone who will take your needs into consideration.
6. He speaks poorly of the women in his life.
It’s normal for people to have issues with each other from time to time. A one-off situation where a man is having a problem with a woman in his life isn’t necessarily a sign of a misogynist, but if it’s a recurring theme, it could be rooted in the idea that he’s superior to women. Always be on the lookout for derogatory terms. I won’t repeat them here, I’m sure you know what they are.
7. He’s controlling.
Misogynists can be annoying and slightly problematic, but they can also be incredibly manipulative and horrible. Like I said at the start of the article, it’s a term that describes a broad set of behaviors. Some misogynists get controlling and even abusive. They have it in their heads that they’re superior to women, so he’ll try to do your thinking for you and keep you in line with what he wants. Don’t tolerate this kind of behavior.
8. He holds other supremacist views.
A misogynist may not display any of the qualities listed above, but there is one final thing you should be on the lookout for: other supremacist views. If he seems to harbor racist, homophobic, or transphobic viewpoints, there is a very real possibility he is a misogynist as well. These types of problematic attitudes tend to walk hand-in-hand.
Many misogynistic behaviors are subtle and hard to identify.
It takes a little bit of practice to be able to easily spot it. But once you do, you’ll be in a position to protect yourself this toxic attitude.
