Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all somehow influenced by society’s gender norms (rules that tell us what is acceptable for women or men) – and unfortunately, women suffer the most negative effects of gender discrimination and they are often less valued, compared to men. 

Challenging gender stereotypes puts us a step closer to challenging gender discrimination. Here are 5 ways you can do it:

Stand up for someone else

When you can, stand up for others. Of course, standing up for someone else is not always easy to do because other people might not like having their viewpoints challenged, which may put you in danger. As important as it is to be someone else’s voice – it’s equally important to be cautious when doing so that you don’t put yourself in danger. Otherwise, you can always report the discriminatory behaviour to an adult.

If you’re an adult and a younger person has approached you about gender discrimination, then speak to the perpetrator about it. To understand how to approach gender discrimination or inequality, learn more about gender equality here. To learn about handling gender discrimination at work, read this article.

Join other campaigners 

Supporting other gender equality campaigns is a great way to make an effective change. Remember, there’s always strength in numbers – so, go ahead and be an ally for the LGBTQIA community, find a local campaign group in your community and join it or even start your own movement. 

Educate yourself and others 

Sometimes, educating someone about gender discrimination can go a long way. For example, someone can make a sexist remark without realising that it’s actually discrimination. You can take this quiz to find out if you’re sexist or not.

Accept women as leaders 

Have you ever doubted a woman’s ability to lead (like a girl being the school president, for example)? Doubting women’s capabilities of being leaders contributes to gender discrimination. Instead of doubting women in leadership positions, show them your support.

Create awareness 

There are many online communities that are creating awareness about gender discrimination. Help them reach a wider audience by sharing their content on your social media platforms. That way, you’re creating awareness and educating those that may have not known. 

Gender discrimination affects men and women negatively and the only way to challenge it is to stand together and fight towards a common goal – which is equal treatment and opportunities for everyone, regardless of their gender. 

Do you have any questions? You can contact me here on Ask Choma, send me a Facebook Message, a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).