>> We're in each others lives for the time being and we genuinely like/respect each other (mutual confusion over belief standards nonwithstanding); but I definitely don't want to break them (for a couple different reasons). <<
In that case, be very careful about introducing ideas that could be destructive, because this stuff can easily break people. It sucks to find out that you've been acting like an asshole or that your parents taught you something wrong and harmful.
However, if your friend is decent and open-minded, you can likely alert him to sexism so he can help dismantle it.
* Introduce the concept of lived experience and talk about how, in general, two people can have quite different experiences at the same event.
* Drop examples of sexism one at a time. Like, "I'm annoyed that our City Council has no women on it at all" or "I read an article about women getting paid less for the same job" or "John slapped Mary's butt at work and it was Mary who got fired."
* Observe, or ask about, ways in which sexism makes men's lives harder. Frex, they are discouraged from talking about or displaying emotions, not taught how to handle other people's feelings either, and are often viewed with distrust.
Ignorance and disbelief are a lot easier to fix than someone thinking that sexism is a good idea.
>>It's interesting figuring out how other people's concept of the world works, and learning about different people's views can be useful.<<
Re: Well ...
In that case, be very careful about introducing ideas that could be destructive, because this stuff can easily break people. It sucks to find out that you've been acting like an asshole or that your parents taught you something wrong and harmful.
However, if your friend is decent and open-minded, you can likely alert him to sexism so he can help dismantle it.
* Introduce the concept of lived experience and talk about how, in general, two people can have quite different experiences at the same event.
* Drop examples of sexism one at a time. Like, "I'm annoyed that our City Council has no women on it at all" or "I read an article about women getting paid less for the same job" or "John slapped Mary's butt at work and it was Mary who got fired."
* Observe, or ask about, ways in which sexism makes men's lives harder. Frex, they are discouraged from talking about or displaying emotions, not taught how to handle other people's feelings either, and are often viewed with distrust.
Ignorance and disbelief are a lot easier to fix than someone thinking that sexism is a good idea.
>>It's interesting figuring out how other people's concept of the world works, and learning about different people's views can be useful.<<
I agree.