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Why does sexism exist in atheism? Without a bible or Quran to raise one believing women are meek and helpless things and men are required to be strong and aggressive leaders, why does it still exist in our (lack of) religion? It happens a lot less, but I've seen enough of it to get frustrated. Men don't have to be giant emotionless balls (hah) of testosterone and women don't have to be dropping everything to make a man feel manly.

LadyAlyxandrea 8 Apr 24
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38 comments

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4

Idk but I'm full up on it today. Having one of those "I don't even want to look at a man much less talk to one" moments.

Okay, just whisper in my ear!!!

8

It exists everywhere, it's time this shit disappears from society!

Coldo Level 8 Apr 24, 2018
3

There was a time when such thinking was true and it enabled us to survive. The problem is that condition existed for (throwing out a number for effect only) 99.999% of the total time we've been walking upright. What that means is the behavior is essentially hardwired and breaking the "habit" ain't easy.

From what I have seen during my lifetime, I would say that considerable progress has been made, but we have a long way yet to go. Religions (most of them) perpetuate this notion and most atheists I have known come to us from religious backgrounds. Lately, I'd say the percentages are changing and more atheists are here without the baggage. It may not arrive during your life, but it will come. I can't imagine anything occurring that will reverse the trend.

6

I would say it’s mostly cultural and has little to do sometimes with religion. A lot of music, movies, TV shows, books, plays and video games are guilty of reinforcing these notions of what it means to be a women or a man.

5

Social constructs?

0

Sexism is as old as the human race... Woman just don't understand the raging hormone that is testosterone. Need to conquer, hold and protect what is yours... Territorial etc....
There is a spectrum of these urges, based on social norms and expectations etc. But we can't have children! You don't want to kill and animal and eat it raw... Each with their own burdens, I guess.

4

I think you hit the nail right on the head with testosterone. Being in gyms for a large part of my life and reading on how the chemical changes the brain is interesting. It is absolutely the warrior hormone. The reason why removing religious perspective doesn't enhance a man's ability to see a woman as an equal is because they are not removing a misogynistic idea, they are just remove a misogynistic moral compass. Most men then gravitate towards an even more aggressive interpretation of life or survival like a Darwainian a "Survival of the fittest" which only perpetuates the problem. Consciousness isn't gender based. It's learned intently and most people just aren't conscientious. Regardless of gender.

5

Even though I was never really a believer, I realized as I got older that a lot of the cultural views I'd picked up were actually based on religion. I think societal ideals are insidious and we often don't consider their origin or validity. Of course, it would have been difficult for me to determine that so much was influenced by religion, if I hadn't studied some out of curiosity.i

JimG Level 8 Apr 24, 2018
3

Atheists are mostly deconverts from one of the Abrahamic faiths, which are patriarchal and sexist. And even the atheists that aren't deconverts, exist in a social milieu that is steeped in and dominated by those religious memes. There is no reason to expect that atheists are especially immune to those influences. Anyone in that environment has to push back and work to exise bad assumptions and attitudes from their thinking.

4

Exists where? In the forums?

In America?

Atheists are still members of society, potentially with all the flaws except one—religion.

This is the problem of broad, sweeping generalizations of any group of people.

And that’s why you cannot state Atheists are inherently better or different based on the single marker of simply being Atheist.

Atheists are a minority in all countries, punished by death in some.

How would you expect them to exert enough political power to do anything?

—even if so inclined.

And, atheists may well be racist, sexist, any other ‘ist’ you’d like.

Non/Belief in God is one nearly trivial marker in the collective of social constructs that create an individual.

Would atheists have a religious basis for discrimination? Probably not.

That doesn’t imply they don’t for other reasons.

1

Exaggerated power of dimorphism?

4

I would offer, if I may, that sometimes sexism exists because of the cultural norms that, while based on religious dogma, have and will remain present for a long time (because people as a whole don't see them as being related to religion).

Just my 2 cents 🙂

0

With the religious right holding considerable sway in the white house right now, religion is trying to mold society even more.

2

Is kind of curious myself. Sexism seem alive and well in other society as well. Religion might not be the reason, it just might tap sexism as a recruiting tool. You see sexism in science as well. Rosalind Franklin is probably one of the most famous cases.

JeffB Level 6 Apr 24, 2018
5

I think religion is used to enhance sexism. I don't think religion created sexism.

And people are jerks. White people, black people, brown people, Republicans, Democrats, fans of the Cubs, fans of the Dodgers, Jews, Catholics, Baptists, Hindus, pagans and on and on.

People don't need much of an excuse to want to fall into an -ism.

1

The men have to be manly men I believe it’s because men of my generation had it beaten in to us. And it is still beaten into some of the younger generations. I still have problems crying in front of people I didn’t cry for 3 week while I was in West Virginia while my dad passed away and during his funeral. It wasn’t until I got back home in Florida my ex wife had gotten my son and I was alone in the house was I able to let my self greave and finally cry for my dad. And as far as atheist men being sexist just because you don’t believe in god doesn’t mean you’re not a asshole. Heck religion was invented to control people and mostly women. I believe it is in men’s DNA want to control their wife or girlfriend. Goes back to primitive time we want control of the weman around us to spread our seed. It takes enlightenment to get past that. That’s just my theory anyway. Based upon what I have observed in life.

Please, please...woman or women, not "weman." Hurts my eyes.

@hemingwaykitten thanks for pointing that out I didn’t catch it

0

I think sexism/misogyny pre-dates religion, tho I believe religion, in most cases, exacerbated it. Unfortunately, atheism does not confer 'sainthood', or even common sense in other matters. It is not even directly linked to Humanism, tho most Humanists do seem to be atheists. Atheism is but one particular outlook, the disbelief in a god or gods. No other traits, positive or negative necessarily come along with that.

I've read in my publications that the origins of the transition from Hunter and gatherer's to tribes has more to do with matriarchal tribes. Think about it. As mammals, or any animal in general, the pregnancy length of 9 months is extremely long to be wandering about.

3

It should be noted for the purposes of this discussion that there is a big difference between what goes on in the bedroom and what goes on in the boardroom.

Women still fantasize about being swept away by muscle bound beefcakes who ride in on white stallions. If this weren't the case, romance novels wouldn't be, far and away, the most lucrative selling genre on the planet.

Men, on the other hand, still fantasize about being that muscle bound beefcake who rides in on a white stallion. Watch any male centric hollywood action film sometime and you can virtually guarentee that there will be some sort of lame romance sub plot tacked on where the hero rescues a damsel in distress.

The truth is, when it comes to what goes on in the bedroom, we're all basically still apes.

Fortunately, in developed countries, this dychotomy no longer bleeds over quite as much in to the work force. If it did, we'd still be using mules to plow the fields and throwing our shit out of our windows in to troughs in the streets.

It is entirely possible for women in developed nations to hold positions of authority and prominent responsibility these days, although we still need to close that stupid, ever present wage gap.

2

Geeze.... i don't see this in my friends. I know its out there. Just not in my neck of the woods. Or in my jobs. I stood next to females that knew what they were doing. Like starting up equipment and looking for problems. Tearing down equipment and rebuilding it to spec. That includes the machine of parts. I think its ashame that females are listed as weak. Ive never met this in females that i dated or married. If anything i helped them with thier courage to expand the horizon. My second wife. I bought her a Harley. Thats after i helped her understand how to drive a motorcycle. My third wife just learned how to drive my diesel truck. Its over 30 foot long. We learn and we teach. Thats my motto.

0

It's called cultural indoctrination and it is faulty. Real men love real women who are strong and equal.

What about women who aren’t strong? Don’t they deserve to be loved too?

@KenG....

Depends on what you mean by "aren't strong".

If by, "aren't strong", you mean someone who is lazy, sits around on their ass all day and refuses to contribute to the family via being a homemaker or through going out and getting a job, then I would venture to guess that few people have the time or the energy for these types of individuals.

If by, "aren't strong" you simply mean that they aren't in to body building and kung fu fighting, then sure. These people certainly have plenty of other positive attributes to bring to a relationship.

0

There are always going to be some who subscribe to something for no other reason than it benefits them.

4

Atheism doesn't inoculate one against stupidity
.

Orval Level 3 Apr 24, 2018

Or selfishness

1

Sorry, is that still a thing?

I hear ya... hell... maybe it is...

0

I definitely don’t find women who act like men attractive. I’m not attracted to male characteristics. I’m a straight man.

KenG Level 6 Apr 24, 2018

"Act like men" ughhhh good. I will belch and sit with my legs open and scratch my junk if it keeps people that say that kinda sexist bullshit away

@LadyAlyxandrea.....

Do those things, and oddly enough a public ball scratcher with no basic hygeine skills and archaic, barefoot and pregnant, attitudes towards women is likely the ONLY type of man you'll ever attract. You'll find that your actions result in the exact opposite of your intentions.

2

Atheism is just the lack of a belief in a god. Nothing else.

KenG Level 6 Apr 24, 2018
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