Internalized Misogyny
When women unconsciously absorb society's negative beliefs about femininity, judging themselves and other women harshly. This often leads to self-criticism or rejecting traits associated with being female.
A psychological condition where women unconsciously absorb and adopt society's negative beliefs about femininity, leading them to judge themselves and other women harshly. This internalization often manifests as self-criticism, competition with other women, or the rejection of traits associated with being female. It is rooted in systemic misogyny and can significantly impact mental health and gender identity.
What this means in real life
A woman dismisses another woman's promotion as 'just luck' while crediting a man's identical achievement to talent, or a girl avoids speaking up in class because she's absorbed the message that being 'too loud' makes her unlikeable.
What it isn’t
It is not conscious, deliberate sexism or intentional hatred of women. Someone with internalized misogyny typically doesn't realize they hold these beliefs—they feel like common sense or personal preference, not absorbed cultural conditioning.
Commonly misused online
Often weaponized to dismiss any woman's opinion or choice as 'internalized misogyny' if it doesn't align with a particular feminist framework, rather than recognizing it as a complex, unconscious pattern requiring reflection.