Neomachistas: 7 Signs And Characteristics To Recognize Them
Thanks to initiatives in favor of feminism, today women in many countries can enjoy conditions of equality that would have been inconceivable decades ago.
However, machismo continues to have very deep roots in all types of cultures and societies, which means that many prejudices and ideas that lead to the undervaluation of women still prevail. In Western countries, open and traditionally publicly claimed machismo has largely disappeared, but there is still a remnant: neomachismo and, particularly, people with neo-machista attitudes
A neo-machista is, in short, a person who believes in the inferiority of women, or that they deserve the name “human beings” less than men, but that they try to make this system of ideas remain hidden. In other words, neo-machismo people reproduce to a greater or lesser extent the ideas linked to machismo, but reformulating certain assumptions and arguments so that they are more subtle.
Neomachismo, like machismo, is not based on hatred of women, as is the case where there is misogyny. It is based, simply and plainly, on the contempt and defense of the idea that being a woman always implies having less value as a person with interests, motivations and own criteria Neo-machista people will express these ideas indirectly, avoiding certain acts and phrases that are considered politically incorrect by the majority of the population.
Recommended reading: “Psychology of sexism: 5 sexist ideas that exist today”
Characteristics of neomachismo
That is why recognizing a neo-machista is not as simple as doing the same with someone who is clearly sexist. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not impossible to do.
Below I propose some basic characteristics that the neo-machista can present, not only to criminalize people prone to falling into these attitudes, but to be able to take into account that these ideas are still alive although it may not seem so at first glance.
1. Systematic condescension
One of the great paradoxes of neomachismo is that can be expressed through apparently advantageous treatment of women But it is not a friendly treatment based on individual affection towards a person who happens to be a woman, but rather it is based on the idea that women have the social status of children who, due to their lack of maturity, must be protected and guided in his life.
In this sense, a very present attitude in neo-machismo is to systematically treat almost all women as if they were little more responsible for their lives and personal decisions than a boy or girl.
2. The elegant defense of traditional values
Neo-machista people do not explicitly defend the legitimacy of the power of men over women or the forcible domination of the former over the latter, but Yes, they can show longing for the traditional values on which decades ago this type of behavior was based For example, they may show a romantic vision of the lover who protects his lover from her dangers and at the same time controls her so that she does not become the possession of another man. You can also claim in a more or less veiled way the ideal of the pure woman who only lives for her partner, which implies that women who do not conform to that stereotype are impure.
It is a defense of traditional values that is intended to be associated with elegance and good customs, what is morally correct and “what is natural.” Thus, the neo-machista denies the possibility of questioning these ideas and beliefs by relying on a dogmatism based on what has been done for centuries.
3. Recurring comments about women’s physiques
Neo-sexist people, regardless of their sex, They tend to make more comments about women’s physiques than about men’s appearance
These may be phrases that fit the theme of a conversation that was in progress or they may be isolated comments, and they may be directed at the woman being talked about or at other people. The fact is that since neo-machismo the appearance of women takes on special importance, as it is related to the reproductive value of women.
4. Constant references to the reproductive role of women
An important part of the work on gender studies and feminist anthropology points out the link that exists in the West between women and the domestic environment. Traditionally, in European societies the role of women has been limited to the domestic sphere while men, in addition to being in charge of their homes, have unlimited access to the public sphere of society. Thus, the idea has been proposed that if the male role is that of producer of goods and services that will provide for the family, women have traditionally been in charge of reproduction.
Thus, while man’s role cannot be reduced to just one of his attributes, That of a woman could be reduced to the parts of her body that have a direct role in reproduction and upbringing Although in Western countries the sphere of women is no longer just the domestic one (the number of university students and qualified professionals has grown greatly), remnants of this value system remain in the form of neo-machismo where it is taken for granted, for example, that every woman’s destiny is to be a mother, or where it is assumed that a woman’s professional or financial success is linked to her ability to attract men.
Whether the differences between men and women are caused by culture and education or genetic inheritance is a topic of intense debate in scientific circles and there is no clear answer. However, neo-machista people will show a bias towards the position that all gender roles associated with the feminine are produced by biological differences that cannot be avoided and that largely determine the behavior of both sexes, although today This radical and deterministic position has little or no foundation.
Of course, The supposedly “natural” feminine behavior that is defended by neo-machismo is more related to submission and domestic tasks and simpler than those of men, traditionally in charge of making the most important decisions and commanding the rest of the family members.
6. Criticism of female leadership
Seeing women in high positions or in positions associated with great decision-making power fits poorly with the traditional feminine ideal. Therefore, people prone to falling into neo-machismo They will show great sensitivity to errors or perceived negative characteristics that these women may show however insignificant they may be.
The very fact of being a woman with high responsibility can be a reason for criticism if it is understood that she only does her job “to be able to command.” This bias will not exist when evaluating the work of male leaders.
7. Compliments are always welcome
From the conservative perspective of a neo-machista person, women always appreciate compliments if they are elegant and inspired enough.
Of course, this is not the case, since if it were true, the level of complexity of women’s psyches would be drastically reduced. However, In neo-machismo, more emphasis is placed on the way in which women’s mentality can fit with feminine stereotypes that the ability of these people to think and act freed from these bonds.
Separate note: criticism of feminism
There are political motivations that lead to trying to relate criticism of feminism (or even the use of words like “feminazi”) with machismo.
However, this could only be founded if as feminism we simply understand the vindication of the idea that men and women have the same value as human beings. The problem, and what means that someone who criticizes feminism does not have to present the typical characteristics of someone who holds sexist ideas and beliefs, is that Feminism does not have to stick to this loose definition especially since it is understood that there is not just one feminism but several.
The new feminisms are a set of social movements and theories that fight for the recognition of women as human beings and/or for ensuring that they have the same rights and possibilities as men. There is no common objective in these movements or a single way of understanding inequality between sexes and genders, and many feminisms have points that are totally opposite to each other. The only thing that all new feminisms have in common is that:
1. They point out the insufficientness of basing equality between the sexes in the use of laws that do not discriminate against women.
2. They challenge the traditional belief system and values of the West regarding romantic relationships, marriage or gender roles. Part of the battle fought by the new feminisms is cultural.
People who reproduce neo-sexist ways of thinking have reasons to try to discredit all feminisms based on the second of the characteristics shared by all new feminisms, which is the one that goes against the essentially sexist idea that women are predestined to fulfill a subordinate role.
In these criticisms there will be no room for the nuances that feminisms exist, and Everything that may be related to feminism as a unit will be negatively noted because as a set of political and social movements it can threaten the traditional value system.
Some limitations
However, this point, as a defining characteristic of people who reproduce a neo-machista way of thinking and acting, has an important limitation: it is not easy to know if the criticism of feminisms as a whole is based on the second characteristic shared by these currents. of thought, or if they attack only the first.
Non-conservative or sexist people could make very elaborate and solid criticisms simply based on the assumption of the overreach of the new feminisms.
Conclusions
This small list of characteristics is not one that allows us to identify people prone to neo-machismo in a matter of seconds.
Machismo does not consist of the repetition of stereotypical phrases and actions, but rather It is expressed depending on the specific context in which the person finds themselves That is why to see if these indicators fit with someone’s behavior, it is necessary to take into account several factors and assess the existence of alternative explanations.
