Femininity stereotypes are prevalent in our culture and influence the way women are perceived in the workplace. Women are often attributed with features such as emotionality, community and inefficiency, which can lead to their marginalization and make it difficult to achieve success. The aim of this is to investigate whether stereotypes about femininity have a negative impact in work environments.

Hostile and benevolent sexism and its effects on women

Research by Glick and Fiske (1996) suggests that stereotypes about femininity often lead to hostile and benevolent sexism. Hostile sexism includes negative beliefs about women, such as the belief that women are less intelligent or less competent than men. Benevolent sexism, on the other hand, is expressed through positive beliefs about women, such as the belief that women are cute or need protection. Both forms of sexism have negative effects on women in the workplace. Women who face hostile sexism are often marginalized and treated less favorably than men. Women who face benevolent sexism may be treated with less respect and treated like children who always need extra help of men. A study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that women who are perceived as attractive are often seen as less competent than their less attractive peers. This bias can make it harder for women to be taken seriously in the workplace.

Disproportion of stereotypes concerning community and agency. The risk of self-promotion for women

Stereotypes of femininity often include traits such as community, emotionality, and non-agency, while men are often associated with traits such as agility and assertiveness. This disparity can make it more difficult for women to promote themselves and succeed in the workplace. Women who want to highlight their achievements often have to act in a way that goes against the stereotypes of femininity, which can be difficult and lead to reluctance from other employees.

The phenomenon of retaliation against female perpetrators

Rudman (1998) found that women who promote themselves in ways that go against stereotypes about femininity often face retaliation from other employees. In other words, women who are active and ambitious are often treated with less respect and less likely to be promoted than men. This phenomenon can lead to an obstacle to women's success in the workplace and to the persistence of gender inequalities in the professional environment.

Femininity stereotypes are prevalent in our culture and influence the way women are perceived in the workplace. Research suggests that these stereotypes often lead to hostile and benevolent sexism and hinder women's success in professional settings. The disproportion of stereotypes concerning community and agency, as well as the phenomenon of retaliation against female perpetrators, may lead to the marginalization of women and make it difficult for them to achieve success. In order to reduce the impact of stereotypes on women in the workplace, it is necessary to raise awareness of these issues and to carry out activities aimed at reducing gender discrimination in the professional environment.

Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491-512.

Rudman, L. A. (1998). Self-promotion as a risk factor for women: The costs and benefits of counterstereotypical impression management. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(3), 629-645.

Rudman, L. A., & Glick, P. (2001). Prescriptive gender stereotypes and backlash toward agentic women. Journal of Social Issues, 57(4), 743-762.