Why Do People Crack Sexist Jokes?

We have all long debated sexism but one area we venture far far away from is sexism in the jokes that we crack. Sexism in-jokes? Well, here’s how:

Q: Why do women need driving licenses?

A: There is no road from the bedroom to the kitchen.

Many around us point that people should learn to loosen up a bit and take a joke. But what if those jokes belittle a specific gender?

The joke shared above shows the mindset which pushes women to remain boxed and confine to the gender roles set up by patriarchy. Would you be alright if someone constantly belittles who you are because of your gender? Do you think that those who crack sexist jokes actually believe in those notions? If you have ever cracked a sexist joke, do you know the impact it has had on those around you? To find out the answers to these questions, we decided to do a little research.

Why do people crack sexist jokes?

According to a study conducted by Emma O’Connor in Western Carolina University, “Restoring Threatened Masculinity: The Appeal of Sexist and Anti-Gay Humor”, those who crack sexist jokes shows how they perceive themselves. For the study, 387 straight men were interviewed. Their social views, their education and the kind of humor they preferred highlighted how they saw themselves.

The study found out that those who cracked sexist jokes did so when they felt that they were not living up to the norms of masculinity set by society. When they crack such jokes, what they are essentially doing is setting themselves apart from the marginalized groups to assert their manliness. They want to reinforce that they share no common ground with the groups because they want to assert their identity, which is male and straight.

But it’s just harmless fun, no?

The perception with jokes is that they are funny statements, not necessarily meant to harm anyone. So the idea is that you will more often than not get away with what you said.

At the same time, another consequence of cracking such jokes is the reaffirmation that sexist behavior is alright. According to a study conducted in the UK in 2016, sexist jokes lead to male participants believing sexist behavior is alright.

Such humor is called disparagement humor and it is paradoxical in nature. It is paradoxical because it is stating out prejudice and it makes light of it by stating that the person cracking the joke did not mean it.

A study conducted by Thomas E. Ford and Mark Ferguson in 2004, introduces the Prejudiced Norm Theory. What this means is that disparagement humor distorts the lines between what is acceptable and what is not.

At the same time, a more damaging effect is how the marginalized community perceives such jokes. For them, the same ideas are reinforced and many might remain silent for the fear of reinforcing the prejudiced ideas.

Dark humor is universally appreciated

There is no denying that dark/sexist humor is preferred by many around the globe. However, as many famous comedians have pointed out, it is the message that people take away from the jokes you crack. For instance, if the entire joke centers around belittling women, their intellectual capacity, and making them a punch line; what is it that you are actually trying to convey? Who do you think will laugh at such jokes? So the holistic narrative you build is what matters.

So be mindful of the jokes you crack

Also, next time you don’t know how to respond to sexist jokes here’s what you can do:

Ask them a question. Ask them why they stated such a thing and question the credibility of that statement.
Walk away from the situation. In order to avoid giving the joke the attention that the person demands, just walk away from the situation. This way your actions will deliver the message that what was said was not okay.
If you feel comfortable, you can also educate the person about being sensitized towards other people and how these jokes impact people.
The last thing you can do is change the conversation altogether.

Of course, all of this is easier said than done but we have to start from somewhere.