practical

Jansen explains that the male and female designations were invented to denote certain characteristics or energies. “In groups, what is male and female becomes the norm. When someone questions whether this is really the case, you notice that the beliefs are very deep. Within your group, you don’t see the problem, because the term is preserved. If someone who is not in the immediate circle questions “In his beliefs, like masculine and feminine energy, you will first feel an ‘us vs. them’ feeling. This can also be polarizing for a while. You feel threatened and think more forcefully on your own terms. They mean no harm, so they get defensive.”

The process of changing your mind takes a long time. Especially if there is no good alternative. The labels are easy to use, everyone knows what they mean. Sometimes they are also used to avoid speed. Like, “She’s too dominant for me, so I’d say she’s too preoccupied with her masculine energy.” There is a consensus in certain circles. “About what the terms represent. If you suddenly stopped using that, what terms would you use? And that’s where the trick is. This isn’t a process that changes overnight.”

Community

The terms Walter and Joy use contribute to stereotypes about men and women, says the behavioral psychologist. “I don’t know if this program really has a big impact, but it confirms the connections that exist between males and females,” Jansen laughs. The association between women being nice and men being dominant has been confirmed and confirmed. It reinforces and expands ideas that already exist. At the same time, in this striking capacity, social and societal controversy can arise.

Jansen stresses that society still has a long way to go. “There is something you can do on your own. If you notice that you have an unconscious attachment, but you don’t want to continue with it anymore, look at it consciously. There are studies that show that when you are relaxed and not stressed, you have enough cognitive ability to ask whether everything What you think or say is true.So take a moment to think about this if you are not too tired, because when you are tired you unconsciously go along with the processes.

an experience

Jansen suggests a way to find out for yourself where your biases toward men and women lie. It might be a good experiment for yourself to see: What do I typically see as feminine and do I also see that in men? If you think caring is a feminine personality trait, see if you know men who do. Just look around, they are definitely there. Do it. With some characteristics.Do a conscious search: can this really be classified as male or female?In this way we get rid of stereotypes step by step.

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