Gender Inequality

Facts about gender inequality

Sociology looks at the discrimination between genders and how they are interpreted. In the context of Stratification and Differentiation, we can look at gender inequality and how it changes our life chances.

Why is gender inequality an issue?

Gender inequality is an issue in society because it allows unfair treatment of people based on their gender.

Sociologists see it as a problem because, among other consequences, it keeps women in poverty. The lack of high-paying jobs, worse healthcare, and previous underachievement in education leave women at a disadvantage. This subsequently slows economic growth as mostly men earn more, limiting women's quality of life.

Gender inequality statistics

A clear way to see immediate inequality between genders is by looking at the hard facts. According to the ONS (Office for National Statistics):

This is a common trend around the world, with women falling short far too often. The Gender Pay Gap is a useful way for sociologists to check on the societal differences between men and women across the world.

But how do these statistics realistically affect women? Let's take a look.

Effects of gender inequality

When exploring gender inequality, it's important to also look at the effects, such as the lack of job opportunities for women, the lower wage, and the domestic work. It affects the social development, particularly in developing countries, as many women don't have access to the education needed to pursue a worthwhile career.

By repeating these inequalities, a self-replicating system is created in society that continues to benefit men whilst women are left behind. Countries with higher gender equality have more connected societies as well as lower levels of anti-social behaviour. Overall, equality provides a better quality of life where people can succeed personally and professionally regardless of their gender.

In light of the information above, we will look into three main areas of gender inequality: health, education, and work chances.

Examples of gender inequality

Gender Inequality can be found in many areas of life, such as the following:

Gender inequality in health

It's important to note that women statistically live longer lives than men. However, they often experience more ill-health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) (2008), gender differences in health come down to social and biological factors.

Inequality in access to healthcare

Access to healthcare is different for all genders. Women often struggle to access healthcare as freely as men, particularly in countries without a free healthcare system.

Companies in the primary sector are more likely to provide health insurance to skilled workers - who happen to be men. Women can face difficulties to access this kind of healthcare due to their working position, traditionally residing in the secondary sector. The differences between the different types of sectors are covered below.

The lack of access to healthcare hugely impacts the life chances of women. As staying healthy is key to a higher quality of life, women worldwide suffer more ill-health than men.

Fig. 1. Access to healthcare varies between genders, with men having easier access than women.

Obesity in men and women

Statistically, men are more likely to be categorised as obese or overweight than women, no matter their financial status. This has enormous negative impacts on their health and limits men's life chances.

However, women's obesity rates are largely affected by their income. Those on lower incomes are much more likely to be overweight or obese. This correlation between income and health is worrying for sociologists. It greatly impacts their life chances - women who struggle financially are also at risk of obesity. The additional challenge is the lack of adequate healthcare, which reduces their life chances.

Gender inequality in education

An education system has a key role in gender inequality. Let's look at some current statistics and facts and explore how the role of gender in education has changed over time.

Gendered university subjects

In education, particular gender dominates specific subjects. Computer Science and Engineering are dominated by men at 80 percent whereas, in English and Arts, men only account for around 30 percent of enrolments (Government Equalities Office). These roles reflect the gender norms of society that have been ingrained from a young age.

The difference in gender within these subjects suggests that the education system cultivates specific potentials based on gender. If you have in mind that technical job fields often pay more than the arts, you can understand how this can impact women's life chances.

Gendered curricula and socialisation

It's important to look at the shift in the achievement of genders.

Before the 1980s, girls were underachieving academically in comparison to boys. Many dropped out of school and didn't contemplate university. There are some explanations for this given by sociologists at the time.

Toys and academic preferences

In the school curriculum, girls were often given typically 'feminine' subjects, like sewing, whereas boys continued to do subjects such as maths and science. Furthermore, Ann Oakley (1974) found that parents tended to push their children into different roles, providing domestic-style toys for girls and more hands-on toys for boys. Examples include toy kitchens for girls and cars, planes, and action figures for boys.

She argued that gender socialisation led to gender inequality as girls and boys were encouraged to take different paths. More specifically, girls are encouraged to take on and maintain the 'expressive role', which displays nurturing, caring, and emotionally supportive characteristics. In education, this makes it more likely that women will go into roles such as nursing, teaching and/or roles that support others, such as secretarial work.

Changes in gendered goals and aspirations

Sue Sharpe conducted a study in the 1970s where she found that the priority for working-class girls was to get married and have children. These explanations show the inequalities girls faced and their subsequent underachievement. Their life chances were limited by the patriarchal views held by society.

Fig. 2. Girls' educational achievement was once lacking yet now exceeds that of boys.

However, in the 1990s, girls' achievements significantly increased. As the feminist movement brought in more rights and new perspectives, the pressure on girls to conform to their gender roles started to disappear. This boosted their life chances.

In 2014, 73 percent of girls' GCSE results were C or above, whereas boys were at 64 percent. The number of girls who study for degrees has exceeded that of boys. Sociologists have presented some explanations of the reasoning behind this.

Sharpe repeated her previous study and found that in the 1990s, teenage girls weren't as likely to prioritise marriage and having children as they previously were. In addition, The Equal Pay Act (1970) boosted women's careers, making it more rewarding to study hard.

Masculinities in Education

In 1998, Jon Swain conducted his work Masculinities in Education. He studied some elite British schools and noted that the classroom environment was better equipped for female learning. The teachers had negative preconceived ideas of boys' achievement. They often punished the boys for underachievement instead of aiding them.

Swain argued that this could cause boys to become part of anti-school subcultures due to internalised beliefs that they are not 'good' at school, which means there is little point in trying.

He also found that boys came under several categories of masculinity, which impacted their learning and educational environment. Those with more masculine traits were in the dominant social groups and respected in school.

This study shows how the life chances of boys can be lowered through the education system as they are mistreated based on their gender. They may not be able to show their full potential and therefore achieve less. Being treated differently according to perceived masculinity can lower their quality of life by impacting mental health and friendships.

Gender inequality in the workplace: how to solve gender inequality

One of the most prominent places where gender inequality is experienced is in the workplace. Let's look at why!

The gender pay gap is the substantial difference in pay between men and women. Men are often paid more than women for the same role. This has frequently been brought to the media's attention and is a key campaigning issue for feminist groups.

Gender inequality statistics in work

According to the National Statistics Office, the gender pay gap is up to 7.9 percent as of April 2021, compared with 7.0 percent in 2020. In addition to this, we can look at the recent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Far more women were furloughed than men, which had a greater negative impact on their finances.

Unpaid work and inequality

As well as in paid employment, there is gender inequality in unpaid work. A UK government survey (ONS analysis of HETUS) in 2015 found that women undertook more unpaid work across each category than men except in transportation.

The dual labour market and gendered expectations

Barron and Norris (1976) pointed out the issue of the dual labour market. They argue that the labour market is divided into primary and secondary sections.

Barron and Norris argue that men dominate the primary sector whilst women are often employed in the secondary. One of the reasons is the dual shift women do; they balance maintaining the household and paid work.

The low pay of the secondary sector is counteracted by the flexibility of the work, which aligns with their dual shift, making it a more sustainable option for women. This diminishes the life chances of women as they must compete for higher jobs in the primary market whilst completing their home duties too.

Fig. 3. Women complete a dual shift of paid work and care work.

Women as reserve army of labour

We can also explore the reserve army of labour. This term refers to those who are willing to work for extremely low wages in a potentially temporary job. The reserve army of labour originates from Marxism, claiming that it exploits the proletariat and serves the bourgeoisie. This army of labour is mainly made up of women, which is an important point to consider when studying gender inequality.

The triple shift and exploitation of women

Duncombe and Marsden (1995) coined the term 'triple shift' - when women are expected to perform three roles in the family structure: housework, paid, and emotional work. By taking positions in the reserve army of labour, women can conduct their multiple responsibilities. Although they may not want to be in these low-paying roles, their triple shift leaves them little time for work.

According to radical feminists, women comprise the reserve army of labour due to discrimination and intimidation by men. Men don't want women to reach senior positions and attempt to ensure they remain in the reserve army of labour. They do this through harassment and discrimination at work.

This affects women's life chances as it means they can't gain a solid career. Their underpaying jobs only offer a temporary fix. By working in low paying jobs, their quality of life decreases as they cannot afford luxuries that others may be able to. Working a triple shift whilst keeping their job leaves them little time to themselves and further decreases their quality of life and life chances.