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Studies point out that females are emotionally more content and stable and hence happier than men

Emotional wellbeing, contentment and stability or happiness is not defined by gender. It rather depends on how one views her/his life. Emotional wellbeing, contentment and stability or happiness is a state of mind. If we have to categorize it among people we can find similarities among them which are guided by a sense of optimism.

Research shows that women are more likely to experience depression compared to men in nearly all countries around the world. Generally on an overall scale they have lower incomes, have generally a lower access to education, and are more likely to be widowed or divorced as compared to men. Many women would also have an awareness of a lack of gender equality. Based on literature, these things should cause women to be emotionally less content than men.

Through the 1960s and 70s many changes occurred around the world which undoubtedly improved women’s rights. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers found out that there was a paradox of declining female happiness in the decades after gender rights improved. In 2010 Rafael Levine and Alois Stutzer further discovered a similar pattern in Switzerland when it gave women the right to vote in 1971.

A national referendum (common for the Swiss) was passed in 1981 that mandated equal pay for equal work, giving them a natural experiment to explore its effects on gender differences in well-being. The authors were able to compare the differences in Swiss cantons that voted for the amendment versus those that did not. One would think that women would be happier in the cantons that voted for equal pay. Instead, the opposite occurred and female happiness fell precisely in those cantons, compared to those that did not vote for equal pay. This should not mean that gender equality and empowerment is not important or requisite. It is necessary and undeniable; the point of the discussion here is to reflect on the emotional strengths of the women.

Studies show that men have generally greater problem-solving abilities and cognitive-flexibility which can contribute to greater resilience and better mood. On the other hand, women’s reactivity to stress makes it harder for them to challenge and advance their thinking at times and this can reflect in symptoms of low mood. Psychologically it is an established fact that men and women differ in the way they process and express emotions. Except for anger, women experience emotions more intensely and share their emotions more openly with others. Studies have found that women express more compared to men. Expressing emotions such as gratitude, and expressing more is generally linked to greater happiness. This supports the theory that women’s happiness is more dependent on her expressions in relationships than men’s.

However, within these studies lies a significant blind spot which tells that women often do feel anger as intensely as men, but they do not express it openly. This is because it is not viewed as socially acceptable. When men feel angry they are more likely to vocalize about it and direct it at others, whereas women are more likely to internalize and direct the anger at themselves. Most of the time women ruminate over it rather than speak out. This is precisely where women’s vulnerability to stress and depression lies.

Females in general prioritize doing the right thing over expressing the frustrations. This indicates strongly that they have higher emotional resilience. Their ability to silently weather a storm allows them more maturity in their expressions in the relations. And since they express gratitude more often, they are generally emotionally more content and happier. Men are generally more inclined in their pursuit of pleasure and hedonism. Studies have also found that women tend to act more ethically than men and are more likely to suffer from feelings of shame if they are not seen to be doing “the right thing”. But female morality also leads them to engage in more fulfilling and impactful work. And this ultimately brings them greater joy, peace, and contentment.

As we can see, it is a complicated picture. It is not overselling to state that women are more sensitive to stress, more vulnerable to depression and trauma. Quite amazingly they are also incredibly resilient and significantly more capable of post-traumatic growth as compared to men. Studies show that this is due to their sociability and ability to connect at a deeper level with others; both male and female.

It is also important to recognize that despite these differences, the benefits of happiness are far-reaching for both women and men. Research shows that happiness is not merely the function of an individual matrix of experiences but it acts like ripples through social networks. Emotional wellbeing and contentment or happiness is infectious and contagious, and it is hence important to understand the role and the centrality of women in overall contentment in a society.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.

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Benevolent sexism-Subtle form of binding women in specific socially-defined roles

Peter Glick, a psychologist, studied the idea of benevolent sexism; a paternalistic belief symbolising women are pure, fragile flowers who are in need of protection of men. Benevolent sexism is a notion which seems very positive, protective and well-intentioned. But Glick and his colleagues have found out and that it has been socially manifested and that it actually undermines women’s careers by eliminating their chances from challenging assignments and depriving them of honest as well as the critical feedback. Peter Glick and Susan Fiske claimed that benevolent sexism is currently strengthening the traditional roles of gender and is maintaining the patriarchally defined social structures of women as being subordinate to men. They clearly stated that due to the conditioning of benevolent sexism, women are rendered inferior as well as restricted to a lower social and economic status.

Benevolent sexism forms a part of the larger idea of ambivalent sexism developed by Glick and Fiske. It has been identified in more than 19 different countries predicting positive assessments of women who obey to follow traditional gender-defined roles. It is typically measured by evaluating people’s beliefs with the help of the benevolent sexism scale, which is part of Peter Glick and Susan Fiske’s Ambivalent Sexism Inventory. As per the concept of benevolent sexism, the paternalistic prejudices develop when intergroup inequality is fused with interdependence between the two groups.

A key point to note for benevolent sexism is that it is implied only at women who stay within traditional gender roles such as wives, mothers, caretakers and other such traditionally defined women-centric roles and who do not challenge power structures defined under patriarchy and serves the relevant needs.

Some seemingly positive views about women under this notion divide the viewpoint about the idea into subcomponents.

(1) Protective paternalism, gives a belief that as women are warm, loving, caring and maternal, they are supposed to be protected as well as provided for by men.

2) Complementary gender differentiation is another subcomponent which says that men and women have contrasting but complementary attributes.

(3) The final subcomponent is about heterosexual intimacy, which states that women and men are interdependent for both emotional closeness and reproduction.

As per the researched idea, concepts and definitions under benevolent sexism, there is a set of attitudes/beliefs about women that brackets them as fair, loving, innocent, caring and fragile. These perceptions are often guided and reinforced by a desire to protect, preserve and restrict women. In many scenarios, these beliefs are casually diagnosed as chivalry or traditional values. It is a form of paternalistic prejudice that is specifically directed towards the women. Benevolent sexism, however, is a warm but patronizing attitude that treats women mentally weaker and less capable in comparison to men. Behaviours that decorate benevolent sexism include over helping women; pretending as if they cannot do something by themselves, using diminutive names toward female strangers for example- honey, sweetie and others, or “talking down” to a lady (in technical cases).

Although this sexism might appear trivial, such patronizing behaviours can be damaging as well as destructive. For instance, when women are given patronizing appreciation instead of promotions or high-risk or high-grade assignments, they get annoyed and their performance suffers. Patronizing praise sometimes communicates very low expectations and this is irritating as well as harmful. Benevolent sexism is often more subtle, however, most of the women are convinced to accept its inherent promises of men’s affections, concerns, protection and help, without completely realising that this can shrink their own independence and opportunities.

A soft and sugar-coated form of sexism

It is a form of sexism that reflects positivity, praise and equality (especially for the women), but not the real image of women’s actual capacity. Benevolent sexism is a fine-drawn, soft and well framed form of sexism, to such an extent that the reflection seems to be the real image. Most of the times, it cannot be recognised as sexist or detrimental by a higher proportion of women. The adoring undertone conceals its sinister purpose. It glorifies and compliments women for being non-assertive, non-confrontational, non-contrary, and compromising. Hence accordingly, those ladies who have their thoughts, decisions and even finances made and managed for themselves by themselves are considered socially rebellious. And the women who hold marriage and motherhood as their primary goal are treated as role models. It not that the women should not be caretaking mothers, but the fine line between treating this as a role and imposing this as the only final function of women in society must be understood. Apart from assigning such final functional options, benevolent sexism praises women (only) in the role of a wife, a caregiver, a mother and rewards them with male recognition and acceptance in the form of chivalry, paternalistic protection as well as materialistic benefits. None of these roles however indicates or proves equality.

Many women feel proud, happy and allured instead of being offended and even visualise their sex and social status as one that garners the advantage rather than discrimination. The fear of social disapproval by men and the resultant consequences, which could involve violence and abuse of varied kinds, has also thrusted several women into this sugar- coated sexism. The conditioning of benevolent sexism has made numerous women dependent on men for their economic need and social status. Ironically, they authorise and justify their subjugation to men and regard their subordinate social and economic status as completely natural. As a result majority of women fail to stand up against a system that is fair as per their viewpoint (thanks to this variant of sexism). Benevolent sexism, by falsely appearing to offer benefits only to women, induces many women to agree to the idea that men are supposed to be in charge. This sexism not only diffuses their feelings of anger and injustice but also obstructs their stimulus to challenge their inferior and doubtful status in the social hierarchy.

Societal-Level and Individual-Level Effects

Although this sexism honours women with pro-social treatment, it fortifies their subordinate position with regards to men and has detrimental effects on women, both as an individual and on a collective level. Fiske and Glick, and other researchers, stated that benevolent sexism is a contributor and objective indicator of societal gender inequality. They claimed that it rewards women a place which is lower in status and provides them inferior roles relative to men. Benevolent sexism somewhere leads to a weaker knot resulting in weakening of women’s resistance to sexism as well as gender inequality. John Jost and Aaron Kay found out that briefing women with complementary gender stereotypes and complimentary sexist items raised the graph of support for the societal status quo and lowered women’s inspiration to enact change in a sexist society.

The impact of this sexism is taking place not only at the social level but also at an individual level. Benoit Dardenne and colleagues have discussed the negative effects of sexism and found out that women who are exposed to benevolent sexist instructions prior to taking a test of job skills as part of an employment interview performed worse when compared to women exposed to non-sexist instructions. Hence, it not only affects their power balance in society but also their potential performance at their work. Impacts of benevolent sexism are not easily detected or identified. This is due to benevolent sexism not being easily recognized as sexist which implies that it seems positive.

Laurie Rudman and Peter Glick presented evidence that this paternalistic sexist belief in employment settings hinders women from being offered equivalent high-risk and superior opportunities as compared to men. This results in slowing their career advancement leading to a slow raise in the growth graph. It has been noticed that women are offered inferior, lower- status, communal job roles that are comparatively more congruent with the traditional gender norms by virtue of this sexist bias. To an extent due to benevolent sexism women lose a control in contexts of romantic relationships. This bias is even associated with acquaintance rape victim blaming. Undoubtedly, this subtle form of sexism has harsh consequences and leaves a painful footnote in the lives of women at individual level.

Mary Wollstonecraft had rightly stated that “I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”

Despite their seemingly positive features, the attitudes and beliefs that shape benevolent sexism are often dangerous, damaging and destructive to women’s rights and even their self-esteem. Benevolent sexism not only divides women and brainwashes them to become instrumental in sustaining their own suffering but also causes a real loss of human potential. It is quite easy to ignore signs of sexism in our day to day lives and get stuck in the vicious cycle of misery but it would be equally tough to deal with the losses and consequences. A parallel and stronger mobilisation by feminist forces that encourages women to see beyond what is served to them as chivalry is how we could deconstruct and diminish the effects of benevolent sexism.

It is the need of the hour to take off the misguided notions that keep women hostage to a patriarchal superstructure. Women need to understand that as long as they continue to be conditioned by benevolent sexism, the conflict against gender inequality and injustice will continue. Women are complete and capable and do not need anyone’s chivalry. They do not need to fit in the square just to assuage the male ego where they will treat women perfectly as long as they are willing to toe the line. Society must remember that, just because some person belongs to the fairer sex, it does not justify cocooning her from challenges (or rather over protection) and showering of over-appreciation and expecting subservience from her at all steps. Undoubtedly, appreciation is required but sexism is not.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.