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Sexism

Sexism refers to a discriminatory system that often favors men and perpetuates unequal power dynamics between genders.

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All Content on this topic

Shift vom 10.04.2021

Esports in Abidijan: A game changer

Thousands of people in Abidjan train hard to turn their dream of an esports career into a reality.
Digital WorldApril 9, 202102:16 min
Shift vom 10.04.2021

Esports and sexism: Enough is enough

Due to the rampant misogyny in pro gaming, Indiana Black will no longer be an esports caster.
Digital WorldApril 9, 202101:08 min
Ursula von der Leyen was seated away from her two male counterparts, opposite Turkey's foreign minister

Brussels chides Turkey on 'sofagate' von der Leyen snub

Brussels has expressed dismay after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen found herself without a chair.
PoliticsApril 7, 2021
A protest in Japan against Yoshiro Mori's sexist comments

Japan's 'appalling' gender equality record triggers debate

The country's poor ranking in the WEF's gender gap index has caused embarrassment and triggered calls for change.
SocietyApril 5, 2021
SHIFT vom 27.03.2021 Künstliche Intelligenz

Systemic discrimination in AI

AI isn’t making the world fairer. Who do algorithms discriminate against and who do they benefit?
Digital WorldMarch 27, 202101:44 min
Illustration Data Story Google image search

Sexism in Google Image Search

Google image search results reinforce prejudices about women of certain nationalities.
LifestyleMarch 26, 202101:09 min
Heiko Vogel, the coach of the U-23 team at Borussia Moenchengladbach

German female soccer stars slam sexist punishment for coach

A Bundesliga coach was told to train a women's team as a punishment for abusing two female officials, angering many.
SportsMarch 21, 2021
Reconstruction of a female Homo floresiensis

How Darwin got sex and race wrong

The authors of a book on Charles Darwin's Descent of Man ask: Was he a sexist and racist or just a man of his time?
ScienceFebruary 23, 2021
Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Organizing Committee speaks during the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board meeting.

Seiko Hashimoto named Tokyo Olympics chief

The previous head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee stepped down after he made derogatory remarks about women.
SportsFebruary 18, 2021
Yoshiro Mori listens to questions during a news conference in Tokyo

Tokyo Olympics head to resign over sexist remarks

The Tokyo Olympics chief sparked outrage after saying women speak too much in meetings.
SportsFebruary 11, 2021
Woman speaking to a voice assistant device in a kitchen

Do Siri and Alexa need a feminist reboot?

Yolande Strengers and Jenny Kennedy say AI-driven voice devices in the home reinforce stereotypes. They've got a plan.
ScienceDecember 17, 2020
The statue of the "Fearless Girl" looks toward the facade of the New York Stock Exchange decorated for the Pinterest IPO, Thursday, April 18, 2019.

Pinterest pays $22.5M in gender discrimination case

A former chief operating officer has settled out of court after she was fired for complaining about workplace sexism.
BusinessDecember 15, 2020
The website of TOPModel showing three "top models" posing

TOPModel shamed for promoting gender stereotypes

TOPModel uses a cast of 14 female comic characters to market its stationery and makeup products to girls.
SocietyDecember 2, 2020
Indian brides

Indian matchmaking fraught with sexism

Are all Indian weddings happy song-and-dance parties with friends and family? Turns out, not for most Indian women.
SocietyOctober 7, 2020
Schlagerstar Mickie Krause

Is German schlager music sexist?

Despite outdated views, the catchy pop tunes known as schlager have brought partying Germans together for decades.
MusicAugust 24, 2020
Indian women shout and throw their arms up in the air

Fighting for change

We hear how Kashmiris are faring, the struggle of Japan's working women, and the Moroccan movement against archaic laws.
Human RightsAugust 19, 202029:59 min
People walk past tall office buildings in Japan

Japan's single women struggle in male-dominated workforce

Despite record numbers of women in Japan's workforce, equal treatment for working women and mothers is a long way off.
Human RightsAugust 19, 202005:47 min
Mannequin with quote bubbles containing the word 'gender' and an asterisk

German language society: Scrap the gender asterisk

Germany's most prominent language association says the gender asterisk is not the best way to make nouns gender-neutral.
SocietyAugust 13, 2020
A Barclays bank building is seen at Canary Wharf in London

Barclays sexism trial opens UK banking's can of worms

Hidden sexism is rife in London's financial district, but now a trial is lifting the lid on the dark side of UK finance.
BusinessJuly 28, 2020
Freiburg ultras display a choreography with the message "Love football, hate sexism"

Sexual violence in German football: 'It exists'

Sexism, harassment and even rape. A network of female fans is raising awareness of the experiences of match-going women.
SportsJuly 17, 2020
Standbild Sendung Joko und Klaas - Sophie Passmann und Palina Rojinski

'Men's world': The harassment video that shook Germany

The viral video shed light on the abuse of women in Germany.
MediaMay 26, 2020
India: Women protest against violence Women wear blindfold and apply red color during a demonstration

Most people are biased against women, UN says

Almost 90% of people worldwide are biased against women and nearly 30% think it's OK for a husband to beat his wife.
SocietyMarch 5, 2020
Women officers in Indian army

India ruling shatters glass-ceiling for women army officers

The court's decision paves the way for Indian female army officers to be treated on par with their male colleagues.
SocietyFebruary 18, 2020
Vor der 92. Oscarverleihung (picture-alliance/dpa/AP/Invision/C. Pizzello)

Oscars: White and male nominees continue to dominate

Since the Oscars began, men have led the nominations by a wide margin. Despite criticism, little has changed.
FilmFebruary 6, 2020
A school in Central Africa

One in three poor girls has never been to school: UNICEF

Gender discrimination and ethnic origin are some of the reasons behind the exclusion, says the UN body for children.
SocietyJanuary 20, 2020
An image showing a diverse workplace in Germany.

Workplace discrimination and lacking data

Germany has become more diverse in recent years. But diversity and inequality data is hard to come by.
BusinessJanuary 16, 2020
Sabarimala temple

India's Sabarimala temple opens, women turned away

The temple has courted controversy as India's Supreme Court decides whether to lift a ban on women.
ReligionNovember 16, 2019
Fussball WM 2018 Russland l Brasilien vs Mexiko - Neymar verletzt

Sexism in football language discussed in Germany

A quote by a Borussia Dortmund director has triggered discussions on sexist structures in Germany's football language.
SportsNovember 13, 2019
March of Bavarian rifle clubs in costume

Germany: Men-only clubs could lose tax breaks

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz says clubs that exclude women should lose their charitable status.
PoliticsNovember 10, 2019
La Rosa Nautica restaurant in Lima

Peruvian restaurant fined for sexism over women's menu

A Lima restaurant has come under fire for its "ladies' menu." Authorities have ruled the practice chauvinistic.
PoliticsOctober 23, 2019
Epic Games Fortnite

Dealing with gaming toxicity

Women who play video games are often verbally abused in online games. Are protected spaces the right solution for them?
CultureAugust 19, 2019
Chile Santiago Lehrer Demonstration

World in Progress: Fighting for a future

On this week's show, why public school teachers are on strike in Chile, how girls from an Indian slum defy inequality by learning how to code, and how a radical policy change in Mexico is having real consequences for migrants coming from South and Central America, as well as Leros — the Greek refugee haven with a difference.
SocietyJuly 17, 201929:59 min
Screenshot of EDEKA ad 'Wir sagen Danke'

German supermarket slammed for 'sexist' Mother's Day ad

Men's rights activists are out in force against Edeka's new ad, but the piece has feminists worried too.
SocietyMay 9, 2019
Fokus Europa Türkei Intersexualität

Turkey: The village of Intersexuals

The village of Cikrik in southern Turkey has an unusually high rate of intersexuals. They are ostracized.
SocietyApril 25, 201905:29 min
Screenshot Twitter Hornbach

'Racist' German ad fuels anger in Asia

The Hornbach advertisement shows an Asian woman getting aroused after smelling dirty clothes worn by white men.
SocietyMarch 28, 2019
Astronaut Mike Hopkins on a spacewalk at the International Space Station in 2013

NASA's wardrobe fail: sexism at work?

An "all-female" spacewalk has been canned because they don't have the right sized suits. How could they be so careless?
ScienceMarch 26, 2019
The advert

Bike helmet ads are 'stupid and sexist'

German politicians have railed against posters that show scantily-clad women promoting the use of bike helmets.
SocietyMarch 24, 2019
external

'Curvy' tourist attraction

The Ugandan Tourism Minister has suggested the country should showcase curvy women to attract more visitors.
February 24, 201903:04 min
Apple Homepod

Sexy Siri, you made a fool of everyone

Some say it's sexist, some say it's science. Is there any solid reason why speech assistants are a default female voice?
ScienceFebruary 11, 2019
ISM 2019 - sexist sweets packaging

Oh, sweet sexism!

Ever heard of a sweets machine with unconscious bias? Nor had we, until a box of chocolate nipples landed on our desks.
ScienceJanuary 31, 2019
external

'Me Too' realities in small town India

What does India's "Me Too" movement mean for female reporters far removed from the country's mega cities?
MediaNovember 1, 201803:36 min
Syrian refugee children in Turkey

Fewer women, more religion in Turkish textbooks

Turkey's latest class materials diminish women's role in the workforce and emphasize religion. That's cause for concern.
EducationOctober 17, 2018
Made im Germany vom 10.07.2018 Bossy Fussball

Don't call me Bossy: Women & Football

Why aren't female sports journalists taken seriously?
BusinessOctober 9, 201802:33 min
Mikrochirurgie am Auge, Russland

They found a woman for the Nobel physics prize

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics recognized revolutions in laser physics. And the lack of a revolution in diversity.
ScienceOctober 2, 2018
A man counts on his hand in an instructive manner

CERN suspends physicist for sexist presentation

Europe's nuclear research lab is in the critical spotlight for a lecturer's claim that physics was "built by men."
ScienceOctober 1, 2018
An ad from Bahnhof shows a man turning to look at a passing woman

'Distracted boyfriend meme' ad sexist, says Swedish watchdog

The viral man of a man checking out a passing woman has landed a Swedish company in hot water for gender discrimination.
SocietySeptember 26, 2018
US Open Finale Serena Williams

WTA backs Serena Williams over sexism claim

The WTA has come out in support of Serena Williams in her claim that she was the victim of sexism in the women's US Open
SportsSeptember 10, 2018
Tennis US Open - Alize Cornet

US Open officials apologize after sexist shirt removal row

US Open bosses have apologized for punishing Alize Cornet for removing her shirt while male players escaped censure.
SportsAugust 29, 2018
A street in Tokyo, Japan

School scandal highlights Japan's sexism problem

A Japanese college's recent confession that it discriminated against female applicants has triggered an angry backlash.
SocietyAugust 9, 2018
Litauen Werbekampagne für Vilnius | The G-Spot of Europe

Lithuania capital launches provocative "G-spot" tourism ads

Lithuanian toursm officials have been criticized for a controversial new campaign
TravelAugust 9, 2018