#Equaliser News: “That’s such a guy thing to do” – Examining Gender Stereotypes

Imagine yourself waking up the next day with the opposite sex. What would your day look like and what would be different? Give that idea some time and you may come to realize that much of your activities, tasks, and responsibilities are defined by what society has to tell about what and how men and women should think, speak, dress, and interact within the context of society. Applying make-up, having a seat offered in a crowded bus as well as daily chores you turn to are likely to be influenced by what a given society deems appropriate for men and women. While offering a seat may be an act of kindness, being compassionate does not hurt, it is interesting to unravel how even the simplest of behavior is permeated by gender stereotypes.

Children internalize gender roles from their parents and family and quickly pick up what society presents to them as appropriate. “It’s a girl!”, and parents begin with decorating their daughter’s bedroom in pink (‘girlish’) colors and themes. While boys are often encouraged to play football and with cars, girls ought to play with dolls and tea-sets. Boys and girls also tend to be taught different skills, things that are supposed to be useful when becoming an adult. Girls and young women are trained by their mothers in cooking, doing laundry, and light handy work whereas boys assist their dads in home repairs or maintaining the lawn – so far the cliché. Kane (1996) finds that by the age of four or five, most children are already well aware of culturally appropriate gender roles. Hence, parents and early experiences with society encourage assertiveness, exploration and emotional control in boys, and imitation, dependency and emotional sensitivity in girls to set forth the perpetual reproduction of gender narratives.

In the event of gender-nonconformity, the child (or adult) is punished for deviant behavior. “That’s such a guy thing to do”, “tomboy”, and other forms of negative sanctions ranging from criticism to rejection are cast toward those that do not conform with existing gender roles. On the other hand, conformity is positively reinforced (Social Learning Theory). To some, a man coloring his fingernails or a girl choosing to play football over swimming (or to do any sport at all) is unbearable, illustrating the meaning of gender attached to specific activities and behaviors. It speaks volumes that out of 20 drivers on the Formula One grid, none of them is female. The last woman to compete in Formula One was Lella Lombardi, and that is over 45 years ago. Moreover, gender stereotypes do not halt at the gates to our innermost feelings but dictate how men and women should deal with them. Is it masculine to shed tears?

Society and culture are brimming with distinct images of gender stereotypes. Catering to girls presumed and socialized tendency toward emotional sensitivity, many jobs involving care – nursing, child and elderly care – are predominantly filled with women. There also exists a variety of maledominated jobs. The unfair  truth to it, however, is that female-dominated jobs typically receive less pay, reproducing the image of men as the true ‘breadwinners’. Marketing experts too know very well how to exploit beliefs surrounding gender. Men shower gel bottles or razors are likely to be colored blue than pink, and sports cars advertised to men commonly differ in design and use case (not to forget horsepower) than the practical (family) vehicles pitched to women. Based on the assumption that the interests of men and women are incomparable, the gender-based separation in many marketing campaigns turns a blind eye on a large audience. Put another way, there is no good reason why women would not buy a sports car. It is not just about better targeting but about communicating hints to the public about  women’s (and that of other social groups) place in society with possibly pernicious effects on their mental and physical wellbeing. Although several countries (e.g. Norway, Belgium, Finland, the UK) prohibit advertisers from portraying offensive gender stereotypes, gender-neutral advertisements remain rare.

Being exposed to gender narratives and enculturated since childhood, chances for people of all ages to recall information that conforms with gender perspectives (Gender Schema Theory) are significantly higher than if images point against it, e.g. a female racing driver. Our perspective becomes distorted, watchful only to what it is familiar with. Take the red pill and one may find that there is fluidity in the construct of gender. Men and women do not have to be predestined to behave a certain way or pushed into career tracks. Gender is nothing static, but fluid, and changes according to how society, and cultural values underpinning it, construct it. Away with the narrow take on gender rubrics and allow people to behave how they feel best, tapping the talent of countless girls that would make excellent computer scientists or head of boards. In essence, recognizing different gender identities and allowing people to explore their own uniqueness. It is worth noting that this is not about reversing gender roles, and solved by having men working in the kindergarten, but encouraging gender diversity. Research
pointing to the productivity-enhancing quality of gender diversity are manifold. Creating awareness on this issue is good but what it needs are sound initiatives in the domains of civil society, development cooperation,  corporate management, and trailblazers who pave the way for others to step in and, thereby, gradually push the boundaries of gender stereotypes.

Changing the stories we are telling can change the lives we live.