Gender

Stereotyping of gender roles has lead to a society where both men and women are often perceived in unfair ways. This kind of stereotyping is a form of prejudice, making broad assumptions about people based on their gender.

As a result, people can find themselves facing inequality when it comes to pay, access to services, responsibilities, levels of safety and other areas. It can directly affect the choices men and women make in their lives.

Society places a heavy burden on men and women to conform to a set image – what is seen as 'the norm'. These images are defined in terms of 'masculinity' and 'femininity'. The pressure to conform to these can be damaging, and place great pressure on people. It also denies the expression of one's identity as an individual.

Thirty years after Britain's sex equality laws were passed, some jobs are still performed mainly by women or mainly by men. Jobs which are classified as 'women's work' receive lower wages than men's work, even when they require similar qualification levels. This has led to inequalities in pay and income. 

The Just Pay Task Force Report identified that three quarters of working women work in nursing, caring, admin/secretarial work, sales/customer service and non-skilled manual work. 73% of women with children work, but spend three times as such time caring for children as men. In industry, including the police, judiciary and trade unions, women hold less than one in ten of the top positions. In politics, only 18% of MPs are women, as are only 28% of local councillors in England and Wales.

However, it is important to acknowledge that attitudes towards women are slowly changing. Some women are now better represented in previously male-dominated environments, and can operate on a more equal basis.

Gender stereotyping also affects men. Certain groups of men can experience discrimination and harassment in terms of their ethnicity, class and sexuality. In addition, the strict gendering of roles at home and at work can discriminate against men too. The prejudice experienced by single fathers or male Early Years workers are key examples.

Males face a great deal of stress in a society which still values them in terms of their success. Men are often rated for being ‘the breadwinner’, for sexual prowess and their ability to deny or hide emotion.

There can be serious mental and/or physical consequences for failing to live up to such expectations. Crime rates, anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, addictions and high suicide rates amongst young men can be associated with the pressures they face.

In addition, gender can no longer be neatly defined, and transgender / transsexual issues also play a role. In any discussion of gender issues, it is important to take a multiple-identity approach.

In April 2007, the Government will introduce a Gender Equality Duty, which form part of the existing Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Public authorities will be legally bound to eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and harassment, and promote equality of opportunity for men and women by tackling equal pay, publishing a gender equality scheme and assessing the impact of new policies.  The new law places the onus on public bodies to demonstrate fair treatment of women and men instead of depending on individuals to make a complaint. The Duty will be in the same spirit and intention as the existing duties to promote race equality and disability equality.

The Law:

• Equal Pay Act 1970

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975

• Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999

• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003

• Gender Recognition Act 2004

For further information on legislation, click on The Law on the left.