Gender-equal sexism: a covert and subtle form of gender discrimination

Abstract

ABSTRACT As waves of feminist movements and LGBTQIA+ campaigns continuously question both sexist mindsets and the patriarchal society, the traditional, overt sexism has also transformed into many newer and more subtle forms. Through an eight-month digital ethnography, this study identified a new form of covert and subtle sexism—gender-equal sexism—in a Chinese online sports forum Hupu. Individuals with gender-equal sexism support gender equality principle, conduct plausible gender-neutral comparisons, and portray men with alternative masculinity to refute potential criticism of sexism, forming an obstacle to gender equality that is more difficult to identify and surmount. This study examined the major framework of gender-equal sexism and discussed how the technological and cultural dimensions of social media jointly shaped how Hupu users justified gender-equal sexism. The researcher called for more academic attention to the kinder and gentler forms of gender discrimination.