- urbandevelopmentcenter
Fairy Tales and Gender Stereotypes
Jobs still split along gender lines
Both men and women have a tendency to make assumptions that women belong in specific types of jobs. Psychologists have performed experiments and studies to support this concept. They had a mixed group of girls and boys, and asked them to write “female” or “male” to a list of job occupations and personality traits. Most of the secretary, assistant, or housework was categorized under “female” while lawyers, CEOs, and higher-up positions were designated to “males.” Same held true when testing for personality traits. The dominant, loud traits were more likely to be considered masculine attributes while comforting, warm traits were viewed as feminine. This cultural belief that women are “soft” or “need support” or are in some other way inferior beings may be far less apparent than in earlier time periods, but the tendency to ascribe a gender bias to jobs or personality traits is still engrained in society.
In many cultures, women are expected to be subservient and only take on the job of bearing and taking care of children.
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