Mental Health and Misogyny (original) (raw)

Despite major gains in equality for women throughout the 20th century, misogyny remains a major part of modern society. Misogyny is defined as hatred of or extreme prejudice against women. The impact of misogyny is seen in virtually all aspects of human life: at home, in the workplace, in social interactions, and elsewhere. Society pigeonholes women and men into limited roles, defining nearly every facet of their identity and ostracizing those who defect, while various institutions - such as the media, the justice system, corporations, among many others- often serve men and women differently. More frequently than not, these institutions serve men first and foremost and put the needs of women on the backburner. Such institutions also may only serve women through a misogynist lens, looking at a caricature of women rather than looking at women as people. The institution of psychiatry is no exception to this rule, and as a result, the field generally does not serve women as well as it could. From a larger perspective, the entire discourse surrounding mental illness is incredibly tainted by misogyny.