Sexism is one of those pesky problems that permeated society long ago and has proven nearly impossible to eradicate. No matter how much progress we think we’ve made, there’s still a long way to go. And while I’m sure this is old news to all women out there, sometimes men need a reminder of how prevalent sexism still is.

Below, you’ll find a story that one man recently shared on Reddit, wondering if he was wrong for assuming that his girlfriend hadn’t actually experienced many double standards in the workplace.    

After working in the tech industry for years, one woman opened up to her boyfriend about all of the sexism she has experienced

Image credits: Christina Morillo (not the actual photo)

However, rather than supporting her, his initial reaction was to challenge her thoughts

Image credits: Alena Darmel (not the actual photo)

Later, the man provided a couple of updates explaining how his views had shifted

Image credits: u/challengingsexism

Unfortunately, sexism rears its ugly head in many industries today, particularly those that are male-dominated

Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)

Unfortunately, even in 2023, sexism rears its ugly head in almost every industry. It may often be subtle, but it still impacts women’s pay, their career growth, how safe they feel at work, and their overall job satisfaction. Certain industries in particular are notorious for treating women poorly, especially many male-dominated fields. In the United States, only about 19% of software developers are women, and where there’s a lack of representation, women are more susceptible to being treated unfairly. One survey, including participants who work for tech companies like Microsoft, Intel, Adobe, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple, Uber and more, found that 37% of employees have either experienced or witnessed sexism at work, and it’s very possible that many others simply were oblivious to the fact that it was happening right before their eyes.

Another study from Pew Research Center reported that 37% of women who work in fields that are primarily full of men revealed that they had been viewed as less competent due to their gender, and 35% of women in the same fields say they earn less than their male peers who do the same jobs. Other challenges women face in male-dominated professions are prejudiced beliefs about women’s leadership abilities, stereotypes about the “roles” that women should be allowed to have, higher levels of stress and anxiety than women working in more gender-balanced fields, a lack of mentoring and career growth opportunities, and sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment is also more prevalent in fields that  primarily employ men

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)

While sexism in the workplace can include more discreet gestures like asking women to take notes rather than actually participate in meetings, it can also extend to full-on sexual harassment. According to Catalyst, 28% of women working in primarily male fields have reported personally experiencing sexual harassment at work, compared to only 20% of women in female-dominated industries. Unfortunately, this inappropriate behavior often begins before women even finish their studies. One 2017 study found that women who earn degrees in programs that have mostly male students experience higher levels of harassment than women who earn degrees in gender-balanced (no more than 60% of one gender) majors.

While these statistics may seem shocking to anyone who has not personally experienced sexism at work themselves, it’s important to remember that just because you’ve never seen it, or noticed it, does not mean that it doesn’t exist. It’s important to believe and listen to victims and individuals who speak out against this behavior if we ever want it to stop. When it comes to what we can do to work on eliminating sexism in all industries, we need to make women feel empowered when they actually speak up, rather than judge them or gaslight them. 40% of women who experience sexual harassment fail to report it out of fear of repercussions on their careers, and 65% of women who experience unwanted sexual advances say they came from a superior. If they assume that no one’s going to listen, why would they speak up?      

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We must actively seek to eliminate sexism and foster workplaces that support and empower women

Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)

It’s also important for companies to focus on inclusion, not just diversity. You can hire more women to have them on your roster, but if you’re not including them in important conversations and business deals and listening to their ideas, your company is not actually supporting women. In fact, one survey found that 66% of women in tech feel excluded from key social or networking opportunities because they’re dominated by men. We must all work to eliminate our unconscious biases and double standards as well. According to Embroker, women are often taken less seriously for speaking about their families and unfairly criticized for their communication styles. And of course, if we’re going to create equality, the wage gap must be eliminated immediately. 

Conversations about sexism are often not easy to have, as it can be hard for women to admit that they’ve been treated unfairly, and it can be difficult for men to accept that they may have played a part in it. But the more often we dive into these important issues, the more likely we are to eliminate them in the future. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Feel free to share your own stories if you’ve ever experienced sexism in the workplace, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article tackling sexism in the workplace, look no further than right here. 

Many readers jumped to the defense of the woman, explaining that her boyfriend will never fully understand her experiences

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