Policy Press

Cultural Sexism

The politics of feminist rage in the #metoo era

By Heather Savigny

Published

Dec 8, 2021

Page count

184 pages

ISBN

978-1529206456

Dimensions

216 x 138 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 24, 2020

Page count

184 pages

ISBN

978-1529206449

Dimensions

216 x 138 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 24, 2020

Page count

184 pages

ISBN

978-1529206470

Dimensions

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 24, 2020

Page count

184 pages

ISBN

978-1529206470

Dimensions

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Cultural Sexism

How does gendered power work? How does it circulate? How does it become embedded? And most importantly, how can we challenge it?

Heather Savigny highlights five key traits of cultural sexism – violence, silencing, disciplining, meritocracy and masculinity – prevalent across the media, entertainment and cultural industries that keep sexist values firmly within popular consciousness.

She traces the development of key feminist thinkers before demonstrating how the normalization of misogyny in popular media, culture, news and politics perpetuates patriarchal values within our everyday social and cultural landscape. She argues that we need to understand why #MeToo was necessary in the first place in order to bring about impactful, lasting and meaningful change.

Heather Savigny is Professor of Gender, Media and Politics at De Montfort University.

Introduction: From Waves to Tsunamis

Repoliticizing

Sexism

Media

Merit

Silence

Discipline

Violence

Conclusion: The Politics of Feminist Rage

Appendix: Practical Steps to Overcoming Cultural Sexism