Sexism Education 's definitions
Cold is used to describe a woman who isn’t acting in a traditionally ‘feminine’ way. Some women are caring, warm and expressive and others aren’t. Women in leadership are faced with the mismatched expectation of having both leadership qualities and stereotypical feminine qualities. It’s often accepted that a male leader can be the ‘silent type’, but when a woman acts in the same way (because she knows masculine qualities are more respected), she’s an ‘ice queen’.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Coldmug. Cute is a demeaning way to describe a woman who is approachable and endearing. Unlike small children, fluffy toys and puppies, professional women rarely appreciate being called cute. Cute implies that someone is adorable and sweet—qualities that people associate with women due to society’s ingrained expectation of how women should look and act.
Her male colleague called her ‘so cute’ and she reflected on how he would react if she had called him that.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Cutemug. Emotional describes someone who has shown a valid human response to a situation. This word is often misused to describe emotionally intelligent women in the workplace. There is a well-documented history of women being labelled as ‘emotional’ and ‘hysterical’ and therefore not equipped to lead.
Even presidential candidates fear being judged as emotional:
“It’s a really delicate balancing act—to be yourself, to express yourself, to let your feelings show, but not in a way that triggers all of the negative stereotypes.” –Hillary Clinton
Even presidential candidates fear being judged as emotional:
“It’s a really delicate balancing act—to be yourself, to express yourself, to let your feelings show, but not in a way that triggers all of the negative stereotypes.” –Hillary Clinton
After a difficult client meeting, Jane became emotional. One of her male colleagues rolled his eyes and the other went over to see if she was okay.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Emotionalmug. Feisty is a condescending way to describe a woman who has an opinion and is determined to achieve her goals.
It’s uncommon for CIS men to be described as ‘feisty’ due to society’s unconscious bias towards how men and women should act. In their guide to improving the media coverage of females, the Women’s Media Centre lists ‘feisty’ as one of the words that should be avoided, describing it as “normally reserved for individuals that are not inherently powerful”.
It’s uncommon for CIS men to be described as ‘feisty’ due to society’s unconscious bias towards how men and women should act. In their guide to improving the media coverage of females, the Women’s Media Centre lists ‘feisty’ as one of the words that should be avoided, describing it as “normally reserved for individuals that are not inherently powerful”.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Feistymug. Fierce is a word used to describe strong women, however it also infers that a woman isn’t acting as we expect her to. Fierce is a particularly problematic sexist term, as it is often reserved for women of colour and reinforces the ‘angry black woman’ stereotype.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Fiercemug. Bossy is a patronising way to describe a woman who takes up space and speaks her mind. Women in leadership are always at risk of being branded ‘bossy’ and the use of this word can deter women from seeking positions of authority.
Beyoncé explained, “I’m not bossy. I’m the boss”, as part of the 2014 Ban Bossy campaign which addressed the confidence gap between young girls and boys and aimed to encourage girls to lead.
Beyoncé explained, “I’m not bossy. I’m the boss”, as part of the 2014 Ban Bossy campaign which addressed the confidence gap between young girls and boys and aimed to encourage girls to lead.
He realised that the bossy young girl displayed the same qualities as the little boy being praised as a natural leader.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Bossymug. Dramatic is used to describe a woman who expresses passion or enthusiasm for a subject or situation. It plays into the stereotype that women are oversensitive and dramatise situations due to their inability to think rationally.
In the Nike ‘Dream Crazier’ campaign Serena Williams expressed, “When we show emotion, we’re dramatic” calling out how women competing at a high level can’t show their dedication to their sport in the same way that men can.
In the Nike ‘Dream Crazier’ campaign Serena Williams expressed, “When we show emotion, we’re dramatic” calling out how women competing at a high level can’t show their dedication to their sport in the same way that men can.
At first, he thought she was being dramatic, but then he realised she just had a lot of enthusiasm for the job.
by Sexism Education March 6, 2022
Get the Dramaticmug.