“I’m not like the other girls” : The phenomenology of affect: How is female self-expression affected by internalized misogyny?

Abstract: This thesis aims to analyze the affect of internalized misogyny on female self-expression. Guided by the research question “How is female self-expression affected by internalized misogyny?” a phenomenological framework of affect based on work by Sara Ahmed is applied. Through an action-oriented focus group discussion, four female-identifying individuals share their embodied experiences of internalized misogyny. This research is positioned within a Western context and includes me as an additional involved participant. Results conclude that internalized misogyny may affect female self-expression through five common themes. These include an internalized female beauty standard resulting in self-objectification, a limited range of acceptable female expression resulting in a passive acceptance of gender roles, competition and comparison among women resulting in a devaluation of ourselves and other women, self-doubt and self-censorship resulting in a distrust of ourselves and other women as well as perfectionism and fear of failure resulting in valuing men over women. These results correlate both with the previous studies presented as well as my own previous first-year master thesis. This research adds to the academic conversation by including a reflection on the internalized attitudes towards ourselves beyond those directed towards other women.