Belief in sexism shift: the role of peer gender norms and the justification of gender violence

The belief that men are increasingly suffering discrimination due to what is perceived as the unfair advancement of women has been rising across societies. This belief is referred to as sexism shift, defined as the perception that gender discrimination has reversed and now primarily disadvantages men. We examine the psychosocial correlates of sexism shift during adolescence. Using survey data from 533 adolescents, we tested a mediation model in which the belief in sexism shift acts as a mediator between traditional gender norms and the justification of gender-based violence. Traditional peer gender norms showed a positive effect on the belief in sexism shift, whereas family and school norms were not significant predictors. Sexism shift beliefs positively predicted the justification of gender violence. These findings highlight peer norms as a key influence in adolescence and underscore the harmful consequences of endorsing sexism shift beliefs, a new form of discrimination against women.