Misogyny is a sensitive and controversial issue that has infiltrated society since time immemorial. Many women have had to live with it — and a lot still do — because it has somehow culturally ingrained itself throughout the generations. However, attention has been drawn toward misogyny in recent years, creating a more intense awareness and urgency to negate it.

Misogynistic mentality can be traced back to one’s childhood, traumatic experiences, and religious beliefs. It can also stem from one’s character and life experiences. Misogynists harbor an intense dislike toward women and manifest this through prejudice, discourtesy, dominance, and violence. 

Let’s delve deep into the misogynistic mindset to gain a better understanding of its roots, manifestations, and prevalence. You’ll also come across some handy tips on how to deal with a misogynistic person should you ever find yourself preyed on by their unwanted or uncalled-for advances. 

Misogyny Defined

A person who has a misogynistic mentality is someone who has an aversion toward women, detests them, and displays chauvinistic behavior toward them. Typically, misogynists are men who display toxic masculinity toward women because they strongly believe in the stereotypes linked to both male and female genders. 

For instance, a misogynistic man might think that since males are supposedly stronger, it follows that all females are weaker. He might also believe that since husbands are conventionally considered the breadwinners in the family, wives should stay home and take charge of all household chores. 

Someone with a misogynistic personality generally thinks women are the inferior gender and are consequently not supposed to be treated with the same respect deserved by men.

Roots of Misogynistic Mentality

Many factors can contribute to how a person develops a misogynistic mentality. Keep in mind that this is not a mental health issue — it is an ingrained belief system that influences how a person thinks, feels, and acts toward women. 

Misogyny may be attributed to any of these:

• Childhood. If a man grew up in an environment where misogyny has become the norm, he might have grown accustomed to it and developed the notion that it is acceptable and normal behavior. If his male role models growing up had misogynistic beliefs, chances are he’ll develop this mentality, too.
• Early trauma. A man’s misogynistic mentality may also be caused by a childhood trauma involving a dominant female figure in his childhood. This may have influenced him to develop a hatred toward all women, resulting in misogynistic beliefs in adulthood. 
• Religion. Some religions inadvertently imply that females are the lesser gender. For instance, Christianity teaches that the woman was created from the man’s rib and was brought into the world as his companion. This offers an implicit idea that women are inferior to men, brought into existence to meet his needs. 
• Character. We’re all essentially the product of our genetic traits and lived experiences, all of which mold us into the kind of persons we now are. If a man feels aligned with misogynistic beliefs, he will eventually adopt them regardless of how he was brought up or what his religious beliefs are. 
• Womb envy. This is quite an unpopular concept, but psychology has traced some misogynistic roots to womb envy — a state where a man envies a woman’s ability to bear children. This may make him feel inferior to women because of his relatively minor role in procreation, resulting in him feeling the need to overcompensate by being hostile toward females. 

Tell-Tale Signs of Misogynistic Mentality

It can be pretty easy to spot a misogynist a mile off. Here are some tell-tale signs:

• They belittle women. Misogynists may openly say derogatory remarks about women even within earshot of them. They may also resort to calling them inappropriate, sexist names, such as “missy,” “sweetheart,” or “girl.”
• They objectify women. This is especially rampant in modern society, where women are forced to deal with irrational expectations, such as flawless skin, tiny waistlines, and ample breasts. Women are seen as mere sexual objects meant to please men.
• They routinely humiliate or intimidate women. A misogynistic man will do this to crush a woman’s self-esteem. He might dismiss, ridicule, or trivialize her capabilities and achievements, no matter how impressive they may be. He might also habitually display aggressive behavior toward successful women.
• They discriminate against women. Misogynistic men tend to have double standards based solely on their flawed views of gender roles. This is especially apparent in professional settings where women are often overlooked in favor of men simply because of their gender.
• They insist on controlling women. Especially when in a relationship, a misogynistic man will want to be in complete control. He might even resort to violence just to get his way.
• They brazenly disrespect women. A misogynistic man will have total disregard for a woman’s boundaries, rights, and preferences. He might think nothing about making sexual advances, catcalling, or taking compromising photos without asking for consent.

How To Deal with a Misogynistic Person

Misogyny essentially stems from flawed notions regarding gender inequality. It is an impactful, potentially harmful, and unreasonable state of mind that exposes a person’s true character. 

Before diving into how a person with such a mindset is best dealt with, here are some survey statistics that might take you by surprise:

• 66% of the 16 to 18-year-old girls surveyed in the UK were exposed to sexist language at school
• 50% of the young women surveyed in France faced humiliation and injustice simply because of their gender
• 59% of women in Amsterdam have been victims of street harassment 
• 80% of women reported having to deal with “mansplaining” in the workplace

Here are some tips on how to effectively deal with a misogynistic person:

1. Never laugh it off. Laughing at a misogynistic man’s behavior sends the message that you feel powerless in the situation and that even if he offended you, there’s nothing you can do about it.
2. Don’t ignore it. Don’t let it slide, either. Ignoring misogynistic behavior might encourage the person to continue with his objectionable tactics. 
3. Speak up. Let him know right away that you do not appreciate being in this scenario and you’ll never stand for it. This is particularly effective in a public setting since the misogynistic person will be put under the spotlight, potentially embarrassing him. Stand your ground to let him know you won’t tolerate such behavior.
4. Apply the boomerang strategy. Give it right back to him by asking questions like, “What do you mean by that?” or “Why did you do that?” or “Do you think that was necessary?” or “Did you really think that was funny?” Such questions will stun him, put him on the spot, and make him think twice about repeating such behavior around you.
5. Leave. If all else fails, take yourself as far away from the situation as possible as soon as you can. Not all battles are worth fighting. 

Key Takeaways

Misogyny is an entrenched state of mind that influences how a man thinks, feels, and acts toward women. Some men exhibit their misogynistic tendencies by being aggressive and violent, while others deliberately show it through discrimination, disrespect, and injustice. 

A lot of men get away with misogynistic behavior because it has become the norm in some cultures. Most are also unchecked since some women tend to simply brush it off. However, modern society shines the spotlight on this arguably archaic mentality, giving rise to a more inclusive, equitable culture.