Abstract

The present research investigates whether benevolent and hostile sexism are applied differently by Black and White U.S. Americans to Black and White women. Participants reported their sexist attitudes while thinking about Black women, White women, or women in general. Although Black participants reported higher levels of benevolent and hostile sexism overall, participant race and target race interacted to produce unique effects on sexist attitudes. More specifically, Black perceivers thinking of White women reported higher levels of hostile sexism than those thinking of Black women. White perceivers thinking of Black women reported higher levels of hostile sexism than those thinking of White women. With regard to benevolent sexism, participants thinking of Black women reported higher levels of benevolent sexism than did those thinking of White women. The results also suggested more similarity between sexism toward White women and sexism toward women in general, suggesting that our current understanding of sexism better reflects an understanding of sexism directed toward White women rather than women in general, suggesting the necessity for further research that considers the role of target and perceiver race in understanding sexist attitudes.