Is misogyny a mental health issue?

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Since the dawn of recorded human history, the complicated relationship between men and women has manifested itself as a prejudicial and frequently confused frustration in men toward the female population. Illustrated time and again in all manner of literature, including Shakespeare and the Bible, women are viewed as objects of sexual desire necessary for the propagation of the species, yet a dangerous and feared social element capable of seduction, deceit and breaking down extant political and societal structures put in place by men. As the physically stronger of the two sexes, men have traditionally played the role of provider and defender, while women, as the ones who bear children, have been relegated to the roles of caretaker, nurturer and homemaker.

Prior to the advent of the feminist movement during the latter half of the 20th century, sex roles such as these were predominantly clear cut. The emergence of social norms built from a framework designed to cater to the needs of men traditionally subjugated women. This subjugation has almost always been justified via the subtext of religion. The Judeo-Christian tradition teaches that a woman, Eve, served as the conduit for evil to enter the world when she succumbed to the temptation of the serpent to act against the will of God. Homer’s “Odyssey” portrays women as deceitful, with magical powers to seduce men, as evidenced by the Sirens as well as by the sorceress Kirke, capable of transforming men into such livestock as swine. The feudal and religiously dogmatic society of medieval Europe saw countless accusations of witchcraft and devil-worship against women who displayed intellectual capabilities or who refused to conform to the role of women expected by institutions like the church.

The effects of sexual energy such as these are the reason for dress codes that emphasize female modesty, such as those found in the Middle East and parts of North and Sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of the lust a woman’s body is able to inspire, women’s bodies have been viewed in many contexts as physically and spiritually unclean due to the presence of the menstrual cycle. For instance, in traditional societies in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, it is not unusual for men to sleep separately from their wives. In many cultures, even today, sexual intercourse is regarded as an experience from which only men should be deriving pleasure. With the belief that sexual gratification on the part of women is evil or unethical, many societies practice what is called “female circumcision,” the forced, and almost always unanesthetized, removal of the clitoris from the upper limit of the vaginal opening.

Unsolicited and undesired sexual contact by men forcing themselves upon women is frequently seen not as a fulfillment of desire but as a malicious and violent attack on women’s vulnerabilities driven by feelings of fear, insecurity and vulnerability aroused in the perpetrator. With the prevalence of sexual assault and continued sexual inequity in an increasingly globalized world, the question has arisen as to whether or not misogyny is a mental health issue. Many suggest that the question must be asked in the context of the environment in which a misogynist is raised, and many argue that where female subjugation is the norm and such misogynistic attitudes commonplace, it is not a mental health issue.

Taking women’s well-being into account, however, most now argue that misogynistic political and social frameworks, having been put in place by men, are the result of the way men feel about themselves with regard to women. Though the predominant attraction between men and women cannot be denied, many psychologists suggest that it is incumbent upon misogynists to examine their feelings about women and learn to bring their sexual impulses under control. In other words, it is suggested that men learn to control themselves rather than control or hate the women in their environment who make them feel a certain way. For this reason, misogyny is not a mental health issue, but rather it is an expression of men’s fear of losing their basic need to gain access to the nurture and care provided by women.

Resource by Will

I am the editor for TheFreeResource.com, and owner of LinchpinSEO, a small business content creation company. The Free Resource has a select community of talented writers, teachers, and business people (and we are always looking for more) that bring you the most trusted resources on the web and credible articles about many topics.

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