This post examines a pertinent question, do men hate women, by diving into the root of misogyny in society from the past to its pervasiveness in the present.

Of course, all men don’t hate women. But if you’re a woman who’s doing anything as benign as checking out at a grocery store, sitting on a bus, or turning on the news, you might find yourself questioning — do men hate women? (Don’t even get me started on reading Reddit forums.) 

While it’s no secret that misogyny is a tale as old as time, a lot of people complain about the progressiveness of the world and what they deem snowflake society. And yet, I cannot help but feel bombarded by a magnitude of misogyny, as well as women coming together to share universal experiences of male mistreatment — not to mention who was currently voted into power in the United States. So let’s examine the question — do men hate women? And why? 

Tracing Back Misogyny: A Historical Context

Before we dive into the topic of examining do men hate women, let’s first explore the historical roots of misogyny. Fem Magazine composed a thought-provoking piece on how history has held women back. Women haven’t always been held down by everything from societal structures to religion to language. In fact, they held coveted positions in the Old World.

Ancient Egypt produced some of the greatest female monarchs of all time, while Greek mythology is rife with goddesses who command power, knowledge, strength, and admiration. Over the past centuries, women have been forced down and largely kept there by a series of events that continue to pervade our current world order. From Aristotle viewing women as lesser than men (and even incomplete and deformed versions of them) to Plato depicting women as inferior, women haven’t been portrayed with equality. 

As Gauri Ganesh observed in the piece for Fem, the equal-gender lifestyle noted in hunter-gatherer society was disrupted by cultural exchange. Expectations for women became distorted, as they were expected to stay at home and work while men made a living — and thus had financial freedom.

So although women once ruled as almighty authority figures, they have since been largely relegated to secondary positions as patriarchal systems became dominant. This shift is now entrenched through societal structures, laws, religion, and even language, as words and phrases are routinely used to diminish women’s roles and associate femininity with weakness​. (Hello, hysteria.)

Do Men Hate Women in 2024?

Unfortunately, misogyny hasn’t fallen as out of style as, say, the guillotine or public shaming. (Although now we just do the latter online.) As society progresses, we still see pervasive misogyny manifesting in modern ways due to the patriarchal structures of modern society. In fact, Encyclopedia Britannica defines misogyny as a consequence of patriarchy. 

Misogyny became popularized as a term in the 1970s during the second wave of feminism as a word used to refer to acts of contempt towards women — as opposed to sexism against women, which has more subtle manifestations.

Now that we are in the fourth wave of feminism since the early 21st century, the terms “misogyny” and “sexism” are almost interchangeable. It’s also important to consider misogyny through an intersectional lens, as transgender women and women of color experience distinct obstacles, oppression, and hatred for example.

So what are the modern trends that we see that reflect misogyny’s pervasive presence in the modern world? Here are just a few examples: 

Traditional Gender Role Emphasis

While modern feminism (apart from radical shifts) advocates for a woman’s right to choose her lifestyle, the emphasis on traditional gender roles from an increasing amount of male influencers and podcasters does so in a way that encourages men to force women into traditional roles rather than advocate for women to choose their own roles.

(See Andrew Tate and his alarmingly large following for one disturbing example.)

Misogyny Pervades Internet Forums

The internet provides a breeding ground for misogynistic viewpoints to explode and reverberate through toxic echo chambers. Platforms like Reddit and 4chan can provide a startling look into the manosphere, where women are referred to in shockingly degrading terms that reduce them to body parts or their ability to produce offspring. 

Feminist Backlash Stalls Progression

Unfortunately, in 2024, many people use the word “feminist” as an insult. The beliefs of the current fourth wave of feminism emphasize intersectionality or the awareness of how different forms of oppression intersect and overlap within the sphere of misogyny. Additionally, there is an emphasis on body positivity, sexuality, and consent. However, people falsely label modern feminists as people who are opposed to men and want to degrade them and take away their rights.

The Incel Phenomenon & Weaponized Loneliness

An incel (shorthand for “involuntary celibate”) describes a person, usually male, who desires sexual relationships but does not attain them. The rise of incel culture, and its breeding ground on social media platforms, has caused women to be viewed as adversaries by some men. Incel language creates a sense of entitlement, as well as a lack of emotional education, as these men view women as sexual objects and resent those who aren’t their sexual partners.

The Hypocrisy of the “Progressive Male Ally”

While there are certainly man men who support women, performative feminism encompasses when people merely pretend to be women’s advocates — often to earn social points. Some men claim to support equality but still exhibit microaggressions, dismissiveness, or fetishization of women. This becomes most evident when these men refuse to be called out for bad behavior and revert to gaslighting or denial, as well as when they support other men who wrong women.

Do Men Hate Women? If So — What’s the Path Forward?

It’s clear that while not all men hate women, those who do are given both a voice and a community in the digital age. Addressing misogyny in 2024 therefore requires:

• Personal Accountability: We must encourage men to introspect and redefine masculinity​.
• Education: Emotional intelligence and gender equality should be introduced, grown, and emphasized early in life.
• Representation: Steps can be taken to ensure women occupy diverse, influential roles in media and politics.
• Systemic Change: Patriarchal systems can be reformed to dismantle ingrained biases.

While accomplishing these objectives appears understandably overwhelming, addressing the root cause of misogyny through education is certainly a doable first step. While it shouldn’t be the job of women and allies to explain misogyny to men, education can assist in swaying opinions and providing alternative perspectives — rather than enforcing persisting bias.

Men should be encouraged to unpack their biases and redefine masculinity. By being open to educational opportunities, holding conversations, and advocating for expanded and increasingly blurred gender roles, we can contribute to a new world order where women aren’t viewed as the secondary sex.

Continued Reading: Examining The Gender Safety Gap & Women’s Safety

Title image by james-superschoolnews