A satirical take on and call to action regarding everyday sexism

Have you ever experienced blatant sexism and had no idea what to do about it?

Do you ever find yourself being treated differently because you are unfortunate enough to be a woman? If so, then this article is for you.

Here is your very own Sexism Survival Guide. Chock-full of tips and tricks to help you deal and cope with sexist situations.

1. If you are experiencing sexism, the very first thing you should do is check your mental state. Are you acting moody, paranoid, or hypersensitive? If so, adjust your attitude so that something like this won’t happen again.

2. One important tip for handling sexism is to have a sense of humor. Often times, men will make offensive jokes that we simply just don’t understand. Don’t be afraid to laugh even if you are uncomfortable.

3. Ladies, make sure what you are wearing is appropriate. Men are incapable of controlling themselves when they see too much of a woman’s body. As women, we have to take responsibility for the clothes we wear. Otherwise, we are basically asking to be touched. By all means wear something flattering, but not too flattering.

4. Feminists have to stick together. But do so quietly because it makes other people, particularly men, uncomfortable. Men definitely think women should have more rights, but not as many rights as them.

Women should keep fighting for gender equality, just make sure the men don’t know about it.

5. Never, I repeat, never talk about how much money you make, your grades, or any of your achievements. It is not ladylike and it is emasculating. Never let a man feel bad for a second; he may never recover.

I hope and pray that the majority of people who read this fake survival guide fully understand its comedic intent and should in no way follow or take it seriously.

However, this “survival guide” does contain a few nuggets of truth.  The reality is that all women are incredibly likely to experience sexism in their daily lives.

In a national sample survey of 4,600 women, 63 percent of respondents said that gender discrimination makes their lives much harder.

Going through life and being human can be difficult in itself, but it becomes that much harder when you are deemed an inferior human.

Soraya Chemaly, a writer and satirist, explains this societally constructed inferiority when saying, “We live with an infinite number of hierarchy-building double standards based solely on gender, which restrict women’s freedom and impair our ability to lead secure, rewarding, autonomous lives.”

We have been culturally conditioned to ignore or endure these types of situations. Just because this is the way things are doesn’t mean this is the way things should be.

The first and probably most important thing we can all do to first reduce, but eventually eradicate, this type of behavior is to recognize and call attention to it.

This, of course, is easier said than done, especially when subtle sexism turns into overt harassment.

It is this harrassment that tends to go undocumented and unreported.

The 2016 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Co-Chair report stated that “approximately 25% of women [in the United States] tend to report experiencing sexual harassment.” The fact that more women don’t feel safe coming forward about harassment is daunting.

That is why I’m asking the men, yes the men, to be allies to women. Because while not all men intentionally discriminate against women, more men must be held accountable for this type of behavior so that we can make strides toward gender equality.

Therefore, enough with the slut-shaming and cat-calling. Don’t perpetuate sexism. Call it out when you see it, call others out when you see it. Reconsider your silence on issues that affect the women in your lives and actively try to put a stop the injustices they are vulnerable to.

According to a 2016 survey done by the Pew Research Center, more than half the men in the United States believe that sexism is over or doesn’t exist anymore.

If there is any hope of solving this issue, then men have to start taking responsibility for the persistence of sexism.

This can no longer be a one-sided battle for humanity. All genders have to start working together if we have any hope of survival.