Neomachistas: 5 Keys To Identify Them

Despite the continuous changes that our society experiences, machismo continues to be an attitude and way of thinking that is quite ingrained in different cultures and societies. There are still many prejudices and beliefs that lead to an undervaluation of women that must be discarded. In fact, some of them appear subtly masked and tend to belong to the neo-machistas. Now, what is neo-machismo?

In Western societies, open and more traditional machismo has gradually disappeared over the years. However, there is still a remnant in those people who continue to defend the values ​​that leave women in a lower situation than men and that they also try to camouflage. Their arguments are more subtle but they are still based on the erroneous idea that being a woman implies having less value as a person. Let’s go deeper. 

What are the neo-Machistas like?

As we have mentioned before, the neo-machistas are people who believe in the inferiority of women. Thus, they reproduce, to a greater or lesser degree, the classic ideas of machismo but reformulated and with less intensity, some women may even express it.

Still, neo-machismo is not based on blind hatred of women, as is misogyny. It is simply based on the belief that being a woman means having less value, fewer rights and fewer possibilities for personal and professional development, and furthermore, in the contempt for them.

Here we explain some characteristics of the neo-machista people.

1. Condescending conduct

The neo-machismo can be expressed, in an apparent way, through an advantageous treatment of women. This treatment is based on the belief that women have a lower understanding and intelligence and for that reason it is necessary to address them in a more simple and superficial way. In addition, the neo-Machistas also think that they are little responsible for their decisions and their life in general.

2. Importance of traditional values

The neo-machistas do not explicitly express or defend the superiority of men over women, but they do show a certain longing for the more traditional values ​​that stood out in machista societies and cultures. An example would be the vindication of the woman who only lives for her partner, without enjoying any kind of freedom or individuality.

3. Common comments about the physique of women

These types of profiles show a tendency to repeatedly comment on the physical appearance of women. 

This behavior is due to the fact that, in neo-machismo, the appearance of women takes on great importance, since it is considered a fundamental factor of these, especially in relation to their reproductive value.

4. Constant references to the reproductive role of women

Another common behavior in neo-machistas is the fact of making regular references to the reproductive role of women, as if that were one of their main goals in life. The basis of this thought is that, in traditional societies, the role of women was limited to the domestic sphere and upbringing,  while men were in charge of authoritarian aspects and life in society.

In this way, the neo-machistas defend that the figure of man cannot be reduced to a single attribute, while women can be valued solely for their body and its direct relationship with reproduction. However, they express all this disguised as subtlety.

5. Criticisms of female leadership

For the neo-machistas, seeing women in high positions or in positions of power is seen as something negative. This is because leadership skills do not fit the more traditional feminine ideal. For this reason, people who are inclined towards neo-machismo will show great sensitivity towards the mistakes made by women who are above them,  in any type of hierarchy.

As we can see, despite the initiatives carried out to promote equality between men and women, there are still loopholes to address, myths to discard and rigid minds to fight. Although this list is only a brief introduction to neo-machismo and those who practice it, let’s not forget that there are many more characteristics that can define them and that it is also important to take into account the context in which the person finds himself.