Recently, I have been thinking about possible explanations for why some women seem to think of women as inferior to men in different aspects, such as intelligence, ability to employ logical reasoning in different situations, and working outside the household, among other things. I've also been wondering about possible reasons for some women's support of misogynistic laws and institutional gender-based discrimination in society, as well as their resistance to any attempts to change the status quo.
Do you think some women could be genuinely misogynistic? That is, could they be actively biased against their own gender out of hatred or contempt rather than positive intentions that are merely misguided? And if so, then what do you think are possible explanations for such bias?
I think part of the inferiority is attributable to programming, years of "entrapment" of sorts under patriarchal constructs. There are women who willfully submit themselves to unhealthy situations and I believe that these women have very poor self esteem, are likely depressed.
But, there are women who are quite happy in marriages, relationships and other constructs that many feminists look at in disdain.
I don't believe that everything that we label to be "misogyny" and "misandry" is genuine on either account.
In example, a woman who objects to certain dress or expression doesn't necessarily hate other women. I think unfairly, the so called prudes in this world are labeled as misogynists. Their views and actions may be construed as misogynist views and action, but unless they purposefully intend hatred or unkindness, it's challenging to contend that such women hate other women.
It's not exactly a black and white issue. I think there could be a great many reasons as to why a woman wouldn't support a particular piece of legislation. Her religious beliefs? Her political affiliation? Her personal experiences?
I think that more often women who are unkind to other women have self esteem issues. It's easy to project unkindness or to even fear something when it makes you feel insecure and makes you look inward and examine something about yourself that might be troubling.
I think that women struggle with themselves, internally, with a greater ferocity than they do women-kind, in general.
If you want to understand a woman's bias, get to know the mind of that woman.