Concluding Thoughts on Essay Series 1

We all have to contend with sexist myths that society, peers, and family try to force on us. The passive, emotional, and nurturing woman is supposed to be complemented by the stoic, aggressive, and unemotional man. Rather than complementing one another, they often can’t understand each other. Another consequence of the false stereotypes is that people who don’t fit into traditional femininity and masculinity can feel odd and out of sync with the rest of society.

The challenge for all of us is to examine our own stereotypical thinking about the sexes and root it out by learning the truth about everyone’s capabilities, regardless of sex. The next step is acting on what we’ve learned. One of the things we can do is to challenge sexist talk and derogatory language directed at anyone. Each situation is unique, so anyone speaking up needs to take safety into account.