Recently, I read about the induction of Air Force Girls’ Military School graduates as non-commissioned officers for the first time. For context, until recently, the NAF Absorption Policy applied exclusively to male graduates of the Air Force Military School, to be absorbed into the force.
While this signifies progress, termed by many as ‘a historic gender inclusion move’, I could not help but ponder that we are 39 years behind, as girls are only now enjoying equal benefits as their male peers. I didn’t have to rack my brain to identify that this is rooted in occupational gender segregation.
Occupational gender segregation is the unequal distribution of men and women in the workplace based on their gender. It is deeply entrenched in cultural and social norms that suggest women are only fit for specific roles.
I imagined the predominantly male leadership of this institution unanimously decided that girls are too delicate for the rigours of the military force, shutting out over 3500 of their female graduates from entering into the armed workforce, through the structured pathway for ex-students to transition into military careers, also hindering them from accessing career advancement opportunities within the force’s framework.
What Occupational Gender segregation Looks Like
Horizontal segregation
The UN’s World’s Women 2020 Trends and Statistics report spots a disproportionate concentration of women in employment in human health and social work at 70%; education at 62%, private households at 57%; and accommodation and food service activities at 54% while men predominantly dominate transport storage and communications at 86%, public administration, defence and compulsory social security at 69%; and real estate and business and administrative activities at 62%.
Despite holding the same job title, horizontal segregation also manifests as men being allowed to do certain tasks while women are hindered from doing the same. In the oil and gas industry and the armed forces, for example, women are largely assigned administrative or light protection duties.
Vertical Segregation
On the other hand, vertical segregation is the lopsided distribution of men and women in positions or ranks, allowing men to hold senior and C-suite level roles, such as chief executive officers, managing directors, commandants, and presidents, while women remain stuck in junior positions.
How is this rooted in Gender norms?
Gender roles: Women are assigned domestic tasks in the family setting or engaged in feminine games and activities, which, over time, can lead to occupational gender segregation. It creates the conditioning that women are suited for roles in care or social work, compared to men who are perceived as naturally outdoorsy and risk takers. The movie Hidden Figures (based on true events) portrays the significant barriers women faced as scientists at NASA. However, in this set of record-breaking events, it proved that women can function in out-of-the-gender-box roles. Do you remember the shock when the police dropped the women off at work and said, “Women work here too?”
Physical differences: Speaking of NASA, a general assumption is that all men are physically stronger than women and can endure tougher work conditions than women. While it is true that the average male has higher absolute muscle mass and physical strength due to biological factors like testosterone levels, research shows that women excel in endurance and pain tolerance, and have done well in ultra-endurance events, world war 2 factories, military combats and also with the right training and conditioning can match or surpass men in many demanding jobs. The most important thing is their abilities.
Occupational safety and hygiene conditions: Because jobs differ with respect to the hazards they present, lawmakers promulgate laws to protect women from injurious industries like mining, quarrying, manufacturing, and construction. These well-meaning protection laws are rooted in misplaced chivalry, reinforce outdated gender stereotypes that women are fragile for tough work, and are not entirely based on facts nor consider women’s abilities. Did you know that women face more harm from gender-based violence than from accidents in the workplace? Also, some occupations shut out women because workplaces do not provide decent conditions, such as sanitary toilet facilities, considering it unnecessary preferential treatment.
Power Structures: Historically, societies were patriarchal – men led in the political, economic, and military spheres. So leadership is historically deemed a man’s role, not that men are biologically superior. Also, leadership has often been associated with traits stereotypically termed as masculine, and undermines traits termed feminine. It has led to learnt behaviours that systematically exclude women from leadership roles.
To be continued….
