Social acceptability of sexist derogatory and sexist objectifying slurs across contexts

•Sexist slurs comprise derogatory and objectifying sexist slurs.•Sexist objectifying slurs are rated as less offensive than sexist derogatory slurs.•Sexist objectifying slurs are more socially acceptable than sexist derogatory slurs.•Social acceptability of these two classes of slurs varies across social contexts.

In one study, we investigated how Italian men and women generally evaluate and socially accept two classes of sexist slurs, namely Sexist Derogatory Slurs (e.g., bitch) and Sexist Objectifying Slurs (e.g., hot chick). Moreover, we examined whether social acceptability of these classes of slurs change across different types of relationships (i.e., work-related context or affective relationship) and as a function of the gender of the user (i.e., man or woman). Results showed that Sexist Derogatory Slurs were rated as more offensive and less socially acceptable than Sexist Objectifying Slurs. Moreover, in an affective relationship the latter were more acceptable than the former. In the working-relationship, Sexist Derogatory Slurs were always unacceptable whereas Sexist Objectifying Slurs were less acceptable when used by a man than a woman.