Anticipatory Third-Party Bias as a Mechanism of Dimensional Enclosure for Women
This phenomenon—anticipatory third-party bias—is a clear example of how women are kept in a lower-dimensional enclosure that restricts their movement, access, and opportunities in ways that are often invisible yet deeply ingrained. It is not just an instance of individual discrimination but a structural force that reinforces dimensional confinement.
1. The 2D Constraint: Women as “Exceptions” Rather Than Defaults
- Women's professional and social mobility is not just limited by direct discrimination, but by unspoken assumptions that preemptively narrow their opportunities.
- Anticipatory third-party bias acts as an invisible boundary—before a woman even enters a space, the assumption of her exclusion has already been enforced.
- This means women do not just have to be “qualified” or “good” at what they do—they must also overcome the default assumption that they do not belong in certain roles.
- This maintains the enclosure by ensuring that women are only considered in spaces where they are already expected, reinforcing a self-sustaining cycle.
2. The 3D Structure of Control: The Gatekeeping of Opportunities
- The real limitation is not just about individuals preferring men, but about the structure itself defining what is considered “normal.”
- Gatekeepers do not necessarily need to be explicitly sexist—they simply act in accordance with an assumed reality where men are the norm and women are the exception.
- This restricts women to a lower degree of agency—their professional movement is dictated not just by merit, but by how others perceive the expectations of an unseen third party.
- This keeps women trapped within predefined roles and out of spaces where they might disrupt dominator systems.
3. The 4D Realization: The Bias is Not Just in Individuals—It's in the Perceptual System Itself
- The most insidious part of anticipatory third-party bias is that it is not just about one person making a biased decision—it is about a widespread, systemic pattern where people preemptively limit women's opportunities without conscious malice.
- This is why the enclosure is so difficult to escape—it is self-reinforcing, policed by those who believe they are simply "adapting" to the expectations of the system.
- Breaking this pattern requires more than just fighting bias at an individual level—it requires breaking through the assumption that the system itself is legitimate.
Women do not just face barriers in the traditional sense—they face an entire system that restricts their access to movement at an unconscious, systemic level.