Gender inequality: What we’re not thinking about

Often when we hear about feminism and gender equality, we unconsciously think about it in terms of women-related problems. We do this whether we are women or men.

This is what is known as unconscious bias, a condition that many of us suffer from. Additionally, when a man hears about these concepts, he is likely to say things along the lines of; “it’s a philosophy of angry women by angry women”, “women want to be men”, and “unrealistic expectations”.

These connotations of the plight of women are ill informed and problematic. And as long as these are the dominating views on the concepts, we certainly have a long way to go in achieving gender equality. As sociologists, we are broadly of the view that to solve a problem one must first recognise its existence. The same principle applies when it comes to gender equality. Tackling this issue requires collective effort. As such, it is imperative that men begin to acknowledge the challenges that women continually face which in turn hinder them from reaching their fullest potential.

Privilege is invisible to those who have it. Men need to begin to recognise their privilege in society and how that ultimately fosters gender inequality. They need to accept their privilege, listen to the plights of women and work with women towards finding amicable solutions to gender inequality. A gender-equal society is not only a breeding ground for the success of everyone in it, but it also translates into an economically healthy country. In other words, gender equality is good economics. There is thus a need to redefine our outlook on gender equality and approach it with a more comprehensive understanding of the good that it brings.

In light of that, what does gender inequality look like and how does our unconscious bias shape our gender reality? The fact is, gender biases appear subtly and most of us don’t understand how our seemingly innocent connotations harm our society. As men, it is unlikely that you are conscious of your privilege because that is simply something you’re born with and broadly socialised into. When women fight for the legalisation of abortion, most of the common questions posed by men are along the lines of “what about men, have we no say”, “the child is not hers alone”, “it is against our culture” and “it will make women kill our unborn children out of anger”. These statements make my blood boil!

If abortion is not our culture, is baby dumping part of our culture? is running away from responsibility and denying paternity part of our culture? Let us not be hypocritical in our analysis! Because when it comes to teenage pregnancies, which recorded a sharp increase early last year, why did we not push our energies to ask where the fathers of those unborn children were? Have we invested our resources into finding out the nature of some of those pregnancies because the likelihood of some being results of rape or incest is very likely? We are quick to shun the idea of the legalisation of abortion but are very slow to address the issue of fatherlessness. This is a significant issue affecting the health of our social fabric and that is problematic. It is also a direct indication of how biases shape our realities. It is unfair for you as a man to discount the plights of women and not recognise and address your privilege.

The same bias is seen in discussions about the care economy. Whenever we ask women to be compensated for doing care work, it is seen as unjust, and women are deviating from their culture in order to commodify their duties. False, women, whether employed or unemployed, are expected to do certain duties without much consideration that they could be tired or worn out. The possibility of women quitting maternity duties is not considered. It is unthinkable that a woman would say that her children or household chores are exhausting. But the reality is that a mother or caregiver does get those days where they feel exhausted and just need a break from the hassle of caregiving. My argument is not that we should pay women to be able to do their duties but that women should be compensated for the labour they do in care work because it is indeed work. If a caretaker (which is usually a woman) does not have the means to properly care for or raise a child that will have a tremendous effect on the proper development of a country. If no one does the dishes, laundry, or cooks, what will that house look like?

So my question is, if we acknowledge the essential need for the care economy, why shouldn›t we be fair and compensate the workers for the work they do without question every day? But again, the care economy is not recognised as essential or even an economy in the first place because it is considered a woman’s problem.

Statistics show that 43.3% of households headed by women in Namibia are dimensionally poor. According to Helmendach (2021), 50% of people (28% women and 22% men) believe that a husband beating his wife is a form of discipline and thus justifiable. The same report indicates that women constitute 64% of tertiary institution (Unam) enrolment compared to men who stand at 36%. In terms of entering the job market after school, 64% of men are more like to enter the labour force whereas only 57% have the same possibilities. That is evident in the number of unemployed graduates, particularly in the nursing and education fraternities that are predominated by women. Further, Namibia has 44% women representation in politics, a good number and not very far from the 50/50 goal. However, I’m often driven to ask if this representation is felt on the ground, by the general masses? Do these women in positions of power have the power to influence policy in favour of women? And let me not misquoted. I’m not questioning the competency of those women, well, for the most part. What I am questioning, however, is the extent to which issues of gender equality are pushed in parliament. A 50/50 gender ratio in positioning means nothing if the vendor lady from across the block continues to suffer at the hands of disenfranchisement.

Before we toss some of the solutions to gender inequality in the bin, we should stop and think about who suffers most at the hands of gender inequality. If you’re not part of the disenfranchised group then perhaps it’s advisable that you sit and listen when the affected group speaks. Gender equality is neither a movement against men nor a revolution for women to take over. It aims to reach a point where challenges are recognised as real, validated and ultimately resolved. The goal is also for women, particularly those in positions of influence, to take up the fight and influence policy in favour of women’s plights.

Women are not necessarily asking to be president. Instead, we are asking to be looked at as human beings first before they are looked at as women, especially in the corporate world. Women are not a cost for a company because they face the possibility of falling pregnant. They are an asset to the country because that baby will one day grow to be either a job creator or a number of the labour force.

We are asking to be heard and for collaborative efforts to solve the issue of gender inequality for the greater good of society at large.