Subtle Sexism : Current Practice and Prospects for Change

Systematically examining and documenting the range of discriminatory behaviour that many women experience on a daily basis, the editor of this volume demonstrates how subtle sexism devalues women and limits their work. Nijole V Benokraitis also explains how these practices can be challenged and changed.

The four parts cover: the continuing significance of sexism; subtle sexism in organizational settings; subtle sexism as social control; and how to change subtle sexism practices.

Subtle Sexism--often accepted as normal, customary, "good natured," or disguised as "tradition"--has replaced much of the blatant sex discrimination of the past. And, although we often hear the phrase "subtle sex discrimination," there has been almost no research on the topic. Subtle Sexism breaks new ground in this area by documenting the range of "just below the surface" discriminatory behavior that many women, (and some men) experience on a daily basis. The chapters in this reader demonstrate how subtle sexism devalues women, dismisses many of their accomplishments, and limits their effectiveness in a variety of settings--including higher education, the workplace, family therapy, the criminal justice system, and popular culture. The contributors to this insightful work hail from both the United States and Canada and include faculty from a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, (social work, administrators, clinicians, and attorneys). The book is written to be a catalyst for stimulating class discussion and will encourage students and faculty to view gender inequity through wider lenses, and, because Subtle Sexism is targeted at students, each chapter is eminently readable and jargon-free. This reader can be used in a range of courses including, women′s studies, social work, political science, public administration, business administration, communication, criminal justice and human resources.