Understand

• Author: European Institute for Gender Equality (EU body or agency)
• Pages: 6-27

European Institute for Gender Equality6

Part 1.Understand

What is sexism?

Sexism is linked to beliefs around the fundamental nature of women and men and the roles

they should play in society. Sexist assumptions about women and men, which manifest

themselves as gender stereotypes, can rank one gender as superior to another. Such hi-

erarchical thinking can be conscious and hostile, or it can be unconscious, manifesting itself

as unconscious bias. Sexism can touch everyone, but women are particularly affected.

Despite legal frameworks set up across the EU to prevent discrimination and promote

equality, women are still under-represented in decision-making roles, left out of certain

sectors of the economy, primarily responsible for unpaid care work, paid less than men

and disproportionately subject to gender-based violence (2). Sexist attitudes, practices

and behaviour contribute to these inequalities.

Within the European institutions there is no specific definition of sexism. Sexist behaviour

is partly covered under Article 12a of the Staff Regulations on psychological and sexual

harassment, where sexual harassment is defined as:

… conduct relating to sex which is unwanted by the person to whom it is directed and which

has the purpose or effect of offending that person or creating an intimidating, hostile, of-

fensive or disturbing environment(

3

).

Sexist practices are prohibited under Article 1(d) of

the Staff Regulations, which prohibits discrimina-

tion based on sex (among other forms of discrimi-

nation), as well as under Article 21 of the Charter of

Fundamental Rights of the EU.

However, while some sexist behaviour may

breach these anti-harassment and anti-discrim-

ination rules, some does not reach that thresh-

old. Additionally, the European Court of Auditors

has found that while the ethical frameworks of the

European Parliament, the European Council, the

Council of the European Union and the European

Commission are largely adequate and staff rate their

own ethical knowledge highly, less than a quarter

believe their colleagues would not hesitate to

report unethical behaviour (

4

).

(

2

) Directive 2006/54/EC on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal

treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation outlines provisions

Member States are obligated to take to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as direct

and indirect discrimination

(

3

) Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Sta Regulations of Ocials and the Condi-

tions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European

Atomic Energy Community (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A0196

2R0031-20140501).

(4) European Court of Auditors, Special Report The ethical frameworks of the audited EU institutions:

scope for improvement, Publications Oce of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019 (https://

www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/SR19_13/SR_ethical_frameworks_EN.pdf).

(5) https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus/terms/1367

Definition: sexism

Sexism is linked to power in

that those with power are typi-

cally treated with favour and

those without power are typi-

cally discriminated against.

Sexism is also related to ste-

reotypes since discriminatory

actions or attitudes are fre-

quently based on false beliefs

or generalisations about gen-

der, and on considering gen-

der as relevant where it is not.

Source: EIGE (5).

7

Sexism at work: how can we stop it?

Part 1.Understand

What is the impact of sexism at

work?

Sexism is inefficient

Sexist assumptions and practices can hold employees back and channel them into the

wrong roles. Women may be shut out of senior positions or diverted into roles seen

to require stereotypically ‘feminine’ skills. Men have been found to rapidly leave jobs

dominated by women due to social stigma, with some preferring unemployment (6).

This is a waste of human resources.

Sexism harms employees

Sexist expectations and behaviour

have been shown to negatively affect

employees’ performance, sense of be-

longing, mental health and job satisfac-

tion (8). Sexist behaviour and practices,

when frequent and normalised, have

been shown to be as detrimental to employees’ occupational well-being as sexual

harassment (9).

(6) Torre, M., The ip side of segregation: men in typically female jobs, London School of Economics

and Political Science Business Review, 2019 (https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2019/01/29/

the-ip-side-of-segregation-men-in-typically-female-jobs/).

(7) EU Open Data Portal, ‘Special Eurobarometer 465: Gender equality 2017’ (https://data.europa.

eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2154_87_4_465_ENG).

(8) Rippon, G., The Gendered Brain, Bodley Head, London, 2019;

Bollier, T., Dardenne, B. and Dumont, M., ‘Insidious dangers of benevolent sexism: consequences

for women’s performance’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 93, No 5, 2007, pp. 764–

779 (https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/6525/1/Dardenne %20et %20al_jpsp_07.pdf);

Rubin, M., Paolini, S., Subaić, E. and Giacomini, A., A conrmatory study of the relations between

workplace sexism, sense of belonging, mental health, and job satisfaction among women in

male-dominated industries’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 49, 2019, pp. 267–282

(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330381680_A_conrmatory_study_of_the_relations_

between_workplace_sexism_sense_of_belonging_mental_health_and_job_satisfaction_among_

women_in_male-dominated_industries).

(9) Sojo, V. E., Wood, R. E. and Genat, A. E., ‘Harmful workplace experiences and women’s occupa-

tional well-being: a meta-analysis’, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Vol. 40, No 1, 2016, pp. 10–40

(https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0361684315599346).

(10) https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoce/publicopinion/archives/ebs/ebs_428_en.pdf

Less than half of EU citizens believe

gender equality has been achieved at

work.

Source: Eurobarometer (7).

Sexism damages an organisation’s image

94 % of EU citizens believe gender

equality is a fundamental right

Source: Eurobarometer (10).

When employees feel that sexist be-

haviour and practices persist in spite of

efforts to build an inclusive workplace,

organisations can be accused of ‘gen-

der washing’, i.e. only making cosmetic

changes.