Opinion
By Elizabeth Georgiou
From workplace jabs to public remarks by officials, the everyday sexism we brush off carries real consequences, and it’s a criminal offense.
In a society that likes to think it has moved past inequality, sexism keeps finding its way into everyday life. It shows up at the office, in job interviews, in classrooms, and even in places where education and respect are supposed to set the tone. Too often, sexism gets written off as something “outdated,” “cliché,” or simply “not worth fussing over,” as if bringing it up is the exaggeration, not the behavior itself.
Yet many women are still confronted with comments that question their competence or their right to hold a position. Phrases like “You’re too sensitive for this job,” “She’ll get pregnant and leave us hanging,” or “How did she land that role?” are alive and well. Sometimes they’re said directly. Other times they’re delivered with a smile or muttered behind closed doors.
These remarks aren’t just rude. They reinforce stereotypes, fuel hostile environments, and undermine merit-based systems. And when such comments are made publicly by people in positions of power, the damage lands even harder.
In recent years, a series of high-profile incidents has dragged the issue of public sexism back into the spotlight, reminding everyone that knowing what sexism looks like is only half the story. The other half? Knowing that under Cyprus’ legal framework, sexism isn’t just inappropriate, it’s a criminal offense.
“Police can investigate sexism even without a formal complaint”
Speaking on ANT1’s “Mera Mesimeri,” Gender Equality Commissioner Josie Christodoulou confirmed that the recent comment by OELMEK President Dimitris Taliadoros about the Education Minister “may fall under the law against sexism.”
She also stressed something many people don’t know: anyone can report sexist behavior to the police, and the police can launch an investigation even without a complaint, since the remark was made in public.
Christodoulou said her office has already received two complaints this year, and this latest incident is the third public case brought to her attention. She added that she is personally examining whether she will file a complaint.
So what exactly counts as sexism?
Before anything else, it’s worth clarifying what modern European standards actually define as sexist behavior, standards we claim to share.
Sexism can range from “light” disparaging comments to serious forms of harassment. At its core is one toxic belief: that one gender, usually women, is less worthy or less capable.
Legal expert Simos Angelides explains that the law defines sexism as any public or private expression of behavior based on the notion that a person or group is inferior because of their gender. This includes conduct aimed at insulting someone’s dignity, limiting their access to services, causing physical, psychological, or socioeconomic harm, or creating an intimidating, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.
In other words: sexism isn’t a buzzword. It’s a legally recognized threat, and it’s more present than we like to admit.
*Read the Greek version here.
