Sexism: The Invisible Ism
July 30, 2008
http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/072908.html As the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates are working hard to garner women's financial and political support, many are still reeling from the sexist treatment Hillary Clinton received in the media. In the latest WMC Commentary, author Barbara Cohn Schlachet explores a "deafening silence" from candidates and campaigns about the overt sexism that took place in the media during the primaries. Aside from web sites supporting Hillary Clinton and women's rights groups, Schlachet wonders why the media and the public are so willing to accept overt sexism. Her theory: "It occurs to me that, among marginalized groups, women uniquely live with those that marginalize them, in a context of intimacy, loyalty, love and, often, dependency." Schlachet, a psychologist/psychoanalyst, further explains that women and men are often faced with cognitive dissonance -- holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously -- which surfaces when people see their actions as conflicting with their self-concept. In conclusion, Schlachet believes "in order to become more sensitive to sexism in the public sphere, we have to acknowledge it in the private sphere."
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