Irreflexive sexists are the worst. It’s not like they actually set out to harm or undermine their female colleagues and employees. No, they like women and really want them to succeed. It just so happens that Helen and Keisha are always asked to clean up after a departmental party while Josh and Peter always end up managing new and exciting projects. This isn’t in the least because of their gender. It’s just that “the girls” are so careful and meticulous. It’s a valuable skill that they should be proud of. And “the boys” are simply better at leading people and taking risks. Not all girls and boys, mind you, because that would be sexist. Just these specific ones. An irreflexive sexist is always more than willing to accept feminist ideas just as long as they are put in practice somewhere else.
An irreflexive sexist gets incensed when anybody suggests that there seems to be a disturbing pattern in how people are treated in the office on the basis of their gender. Sexists of this type often see themselves as open-minded and progressive. Many even claim to be feminists. They don’t accept even the slightest possibility that there is anything but pure chance behind their denial of promotion to their female employees.
Paradoxically, it is much easier to deal with a sexist who is conscious of being one. You can at least try to enter into a dialogue and offer counterarguments. An irreflexive sexist, however, spouts all the right verbiage about women’s rights and gender discrimination, so there is nothing to argue about.
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