Currently in Spain, one in three men believes that it makes no sense to talk about inequalities between men and women, namely 37%. And among women? 19% In this context, the term feminism evokes disapproval from 42% and 62% of respondents (and 30% of them believe that sexist violence is “an ideological invention”). This is data from the study Women and Men Today. Equality or inequality?, with interviews with 1,000 men and 1,000 women aged 18 to 64. “By National Institute of Statistics standards, it’s representative of nearly 29 million people,” says the paper’s author, Laura Sagnier, who published the results in June, collaborating on a volunteer basis with a team of consultants and analysts from PRM Market Intelligence.
However, Sagnier says of the study, “When you ask them if they think men and women have equal opportunities in life, 48% of men and 70% of women say no.” A “confusion” of concepts, of which the analyst believes they can respond to the existing social and political climate. In recent years there has been a strong and growing response to feminism, embraced and fueled at the same time by the entry of the far right into institutions and the expansion of their openly anti-feminist discourse.
In addition, according to the researcher, there is “little pedagogy or proximity in the speeches of feminists, who have more voice, for non-specialists”, “the political polarization in a demand that suits all women, from left and right.” “ Right” and “the rupture of the feminist movement”, which has occurred in recent years mainly because of the so-called trans law. “I am convinced that if we really want our daughters, granddaughters, nieces or goddaughters to have the same life chances as the men of their generation, we have to change our strategy,” she affirms.
The researcher, analyst, and big data expert turned aside markets to embrace inequality nearly a decade ago, and she often says it wasn’t until she completed her first research in the field – Las mujeres hoy (Deusto, 2018) – when he was fully “aware” of the inequalities between men and women. He remembers it now because, as he says, he is still surprised by the “significant differences” that exist on some issues.
For example, those in the workplace, where the vulnerability is well known and corroborated by dozens of reports each year. These include some that the study also reflected, such as the hours they work per week (they average 33 and they 37); or, if they live together, the difference in income level: it exists in almost 40% of cases. But the biggest difference in this area, according to Sagnier, is the proportion of women who say they “feel they would have gotten further if they were men”: 18% of those who have ever worked, compared to 8% of women who Men. Men who claim that “if they had been women, they would have gone further”. This, she says, “is a good approximation for measuring the well-known glass ceiling that the feminist movement references.”
There are also surprising numbers when it comes to maternity and paternity. According to the study, they are more likely to believe that “fatherhood is the best thing that can happen to a man”: 79%. For them, this value drops to 68%. 10% of them do not want to have children and among women it is 12%; and for those aged 18-40 this proportion rises to 14%, compared to 11% for women aged 41-65. “In men, there are no changes between these two generations,” the study says. “What is most astounding” about this, Sagnier says, is the contradiction between “the practical unanimity in assuming that fathers are generally capable of caring for their sons and daughters as well as mothers (88% for men and 86% for women) and the very high proportion of people who believe that young children can suffer if the mother works outside the home (57% of men and 52% of women)”.
“If you delve further into the answers, I don’t know if it goes away or if the surprise increases, because you understand why it’s happening, but most importantly, you understand the horrific consequences for women.” Giving women the role of better carers” means that “motherhood ultimately encroaches on her professional environment”. 25% of them have taken care leave or shortened their working day compared to 12% of them. “And among people who have stopped being active, 29% of women say they did so because their family situation required it, compared with 7% of men,” the report says. “It is crucial that society is aware of the costs that women incur when they stop being active in the public sphere and focus exclusively on the private sphere, lose purchasing power or stop being economically independent and become dependent on the father of their sons and daughters.” “.
In any case, he says, “the data is indisputable” and speaks of “the urgent need” to work to end these inequalities: “Much progress has been made in the area of public policy and legislation, but the work that still needs to be done is left over.” This is much more complicated since it can only be changed through equity education inside and outside the home. If we don’t lead by example at home, nothing will change.” The pervasive inequalities will not change. From the pills they take to sleep, how happy they are, how often they masturbate, or how their expectations of life are being met or not.
Here are some of the other gaps reflected in the study:
More pressure in life for them. Young women (18-40 years old) feel 33% more pressured than men. Especially when it came to “being successful in your studies”, “not disappointing” your family and “being physically attractive”.
Go through the street. 33% of women say they don’t feel safe in their neighborhood after dark; theirs is 10%. For the youngest, the gap increases to 42% and 12% respectively.
The expectations. “The expectations that men have of their lives are met to a greater extent than the expectations that women have of their lives,” the study states. 56% of men say their life meets or exceeds their expectations, compared to 50% of women who agree.
The misfortune. There are five aspects of life where women are unhappier: appearance (59% of women, 54% of men); Health (49% of which, 42% of which); leisure time (49% of women and 43% of men); the father (30% of women compared to 25% of men); and the couple (29% of them, 24% of them).
masturbation, pornography and prostitution. “Women and men have very different relationships with all three,” says the report. On a weekly basis, 51% of men masturbate compared to 20% of women. 40% of men consume pornography weekly, compared to 8% of women. 8% of men engage in prostitution compared to 3% of women.
Medications: sleep, anxiety and depression. They use more medication for these three reasons: 23% of women and 16% of men take them weekly for sleeping problems. For anxiety or depression, the figures were 18% and 11%, respectively. And among women between the ages of 41 and 64, “use of both types of drugs skyrockets, standing at 29% and 22%, respectively.”
The family burden. “There are major differences in the way cohabiting men and women perceive their contribution to family responsibilities, particularly when it comes to raising children,” says the report. They believe they do 69% of the housework and 69% of their children’s care and education; they believe they do significantly less, 54% and 48% respectively. This, the study adds, affects these couples’ life satisfaction. They are happier “when they are in relationships where there is shared responsibility.” “For women in more stressful relationships, the average satisfaction with their partner is 7.1 (vs contribute) and life satisfaction averages 6.9 (compared to 7.3 where both contribute equally). However, the difference between them is smaller: average satisfaction with a partner is 7.5 (compared to 7.9 when both contribute equally) and life satisfaction averages 6.9 (compared to 7, 2 if both make the same contribution).
The vulnerability. Three “fragility situations” were considered in the research: suicidal thoughts or attempts, eating disorders, and self-harm. In all three cases, women are more at risk, at 21%, 13% and 8%, respectively. In them 16%, 6% and 5%. The tendency to experience these situations is increasing for both men and women among the youngest (from 18 to 40 years old). In them it rises to 28%, 18% and 14%; and in them 20%, 9% and 9%.
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