The Myth of the Macho Scotsman: Attitudes to Gender, Work and the Family in the UK, Ireland and Europe

Abstract

It is a common assumption in everyday conversation that attitudes towards gender are more conservative in Scotland than in other parts of Britain, and that this is particularly true of Scottish men. We expect the inhabitants of Govan to take a more traditional approach to gender roles than those of Islington. This assumption perhaps has two origins. Many of the ideological myths which are central to Scottish national identity are based around rigid and conservative gender hierarchies. Highland clans, tarlanry and kailyard are full of images of men and women occupying quite distinct social positions. Some of the more modern myths which have been contrasted to these, such as the myth of Red Clydeside, are based around gender hierarchies which are no less stark. For example Red Clydeside still evokes images of men involved in industrial struggle: the Clyde Workers Committee, Gallacher or Mac Lean. The role of women in the munitions factories of the first world war, or their leadership of the struggle over housing and fair rents, is given less attention (Melling 1983). As McCrone (1992, p.97) has noted, it is significant that the central ideological figure of nineteenth century Scots egalitarianism 'the lad o' pains' was exactly that; there were no 'lasses o' pains'.