Jakarta, ThedailyID — Misogyny does not always appear as open hostility toward women. Instead, it often surfaces through subtle attitudes and behaviours that many people fail to recognise.
Mental health experts describe misogyny as prejudice against women that reinforces traditional gender roles and punishes women who challenge them. Unlike sexism, misogyny also involves hostility, control, or resentment toward women.
Psychologists say these attitudes can develop over time. Negative experiences involving close female figures, such as a mother, sibling, or partner, may influence how some people later perceive and treat women.
Here are some common signs that experts associate with misogynistic behaviour.
1. Charm That Quickly Fades
Some people initially appear warm, charismatic, and attentive. However, they later become rude or controlling before returning to friendly behaviour, creating an unhealthy cycle.
2. Broken Promises Toward Women
A person may frequently break promises made to women while remaining dependable when dealing with men. This difference can reveal unequal treatment.
3. Unequal Treatment of Men and Women
In workplaces or social settings, some people grant men greater freedom while holding women to stricter standards. Although subtle, the imbalance can have lasting effects.
4. A Need to Control
Misogynistic behaviour often includes arrogance, controlling tendencies, and a belief that women should follow someone else’s decisions.
5. Discomfort With Women’s Success
Some individuals feel threatened when women achieve professional or personal success. They may dismiss those accomplishments while accepting similar achievements by men.
6. Belittling Women
Misogyny can appear through insulting jokes, negative comments, or behaviour that makes women feel inferior or undervalued.
7. Taking Advantage of Women
A person may expect emotional or practical support without offering the same in return. In professional settings, they may also claim credit for a woman’s ideas or work.
8. Controlling Intimate Relationships
In romantic relationships, a misogynistic partner may focus primarily on personal needs while ignoring a partner’s comfort, opinions, or wellbeing.
9. Fear of Commitment
Some experts also associate misogyny with inconsistent relationship patterns, including avoiding commitment, disappearing without explanation, or repeatedly engaging in infidelity.
Experts stress that not everyone displays all of these behaviours. Nevertheless, recognising unhealthy patterns early can help people build more respectful relationships and promote greater gender equality.
