Depression does not justify misogyny

call out sexism

It’s been two weeks since the man who once said in an interview that the thing with women is “you have to treat ‘em like s***” was elected leader of the free world.

But today we do at least have a reason to explain such “locker room banter”. For, today science has spoken. Thanks to a group of researchers in the United States and Singapore, we now know that misogynistic behaviour can be put down to mental health issues.

Classic traits of manhood

Researchers looked at the relationship between disorders of the mind and 11 different ‘classical traits of manhood’, such as competitiveness, status-seeking, risk-taking and homophobia.

Their analysis concluded that men who crave a playboy lifestyle and seek power over women are consistently at greater risk of mental health troubles.

And so it seems once again the stiff-upper-lip patriarchal model of masculinity not only fails women, but men.

Now, it's true, of course, that mental health is a serious problem, with the highest suicide rates in the UK still among men aged 45-49. We absolutely need to do more to break down the barriers of traditional masculinity and encourage more men to be open about depression and anxiety.

But isn’t saying that sexist attitudes can be explained away as depression just another way to excuse bad behaviour?

No excuses

“He can't help it - it’s his upbringing”; “He’s just a bit old-fashioned”; “He doesn’t mean anything by it”. We've heard them all before. And now we can add to the list “He's terribly insecure about his masculinity.”

Of course, men who pick on and belittle women are insecure. They might even be deeply unhappy. That much is blindingly obvious.

Any man who has to put a woman down in a meeting, ignore her in a conversation, claim her ideas as his own, dismiss her as something frivolous, or who genuinely believes that women should be paid less, is surely attempting to gain power and control – two things they probably don’t feel over his own life and identity.

The researchers said that sexist behaviour in men is “not merely a social injustice” but also has “deleterious mental health-related consequences for those who embrace such attitudes”.

Forgive me, if I struggle to sympathise. While we must do more to support those with mental health problems, that doesn't mean we shouldn’t call men out over sexist comments. It can't become yet another excuse for plain old misogyny.