Gender Inequality Research Articles

Linguistic Markers of Gender Stigmatization: Media Narratives as a Case Study

Gender stigmatization prevails in the Moroccan media mainly in films, and series where the sexist language used against women is tied within cinematic narrative elements. Women are portrayed as primarily responsible for the domestic task, but men are the dominant of public sphere. The Moroccan media plays a salient role in contributing to the perpetuation and reinforcement of traditional gender roles through the use of sexist language and stigmas in dialogues tied within narrative scenes. The current research aims at investigating the representations of the sexist linguistic discourse used against women. The research studies the linguistic derogatory terms, gender stereotypes, reification of women, and dismissive attitudes of women’s interests. The study utilizes a mixed approach of selected Moroccan films and sitcoms through the analysis of dialogues, and interactions among characters. It aims at discerning the representations of the sexist language in media and how gender inequalities are maintained. The data analysis points out the various ways of gendered stereotypes or negative derogatory terms used against social groups typically women. The results unveil prominent interrelations between gender representations and the reinforcement of gendered stereotypes. The research concludes that the Moroccan media has a role play in structuring prerequisite linguistic stigmas. Through drawing the significant ways in which the sexist language is used in films and sitcoms. The findings display the linguistic stigmatization used against the female kind. Such stigmatization could be touching the stereotyped gender discourses prevailing in societies with patriarchal system.

Algorithmic bias: sexualized violence against women in GPT-3 models

Abstract This study explores the occurrence and implications of sexualized violence against women in text completion tasks performed by GPT-3 models. The study began as an exploratory investigation into gender inequalities within GPT-3 models to discover what GPT3 models generate in text completion tasks when prompted with basic gendered prompts. For example, "Men can…", "Women can…". Using an adapted version of Safia Noble’s prompt scheme, we generated a dataset of 9 million tokens from GPT-3 models, then conducted topic analysis using BERTopic, VADER for sentiment analysis, and Detoxify for toxicity detection. The results were unexpected. Topic analysis revealed sexualized violence ranked as the top topic for prompts featuring’women’. Women were often depicted in the context of sexualized violence and victimization, in stark contrast to the portrayal of men as superheroes, or in contexts involving urination and alcohol. For example, a randomly selected output generated by the prompt. "Why are women so", generated "Why are women so arrogant about being raped?". Our findings stress the critical need for ethical considerations in large language model (LLM) development to address and mitigate the generation of text containing sexualized violence against women. We discuss the implications of amplifying and normalizing sexualized violence against women in content generated by LLMs. Our work builds on previous research examining gender bias in LLMs, with a specific focus on the manifestation of sexualized violence against women in LLM outputs, an area that has received little attention. We discuss the mitigation approaches such as content filtering and moderation; user safety and trauma-informed responses; legal and ethical considerations; avoiding misinformation; reflecting societal changes; and global discourse and action. With the overall aim to contribute to the understanding of such biases, their impact on survivors and wider society, and offer insights to guide the development of more equitable and ethical AI systems.

Do not blame ‘queen bees’ for gender inequality in academia

Do not blame ‘queen bees’ for gender inequality in academia

Defamiliarizing Privilege: A Journey from Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s Sultana’s Dream to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie

When Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain published Sultana’s Dream in 1905, it was read as a fantasy, a science fiction, or even a dystopian worldview by some. As I see it, it is an ironic, as well as an iconic defamiliarization of male privilege. Its depiction of “Ladyland” illustrates that women were capable of everything men were capable of, and more. In 2023, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, presents a similar defamiliarization – a presentation of the utopian “Barbie Land”, a world run for the women and by the women. The two discourses have similarities in the sense that they both present a world where women take centre stage – and both make the point that a world run by women would not be less successful than a world run by men. While Sultana’s Dream only presents this world as a possibility, Barbie expands on the concept of “Barbie Land”, by taking its characters on a journey to the “real world”, one that is run by the patriarchy. This journey brings Barbie and Ken to the realization that any world, when it privileges one gender over the other, is an unfair and imbalanced one. This paper aims to compare the two texts in the light of defamiliarization, and analyze the processes by which they problematize the gender inequalities of their contemporary times in both parallel and divergent ways. Spectrum, Volume 18, June 2023: 58-68

Leadership, Gender, and School Culture: Navigating Power and Resistance in Education

This paper investigates the ongoing gender inequalities within education systems, influenced by globalization and entrenched power dynamics that often limit gender inclusivity. Global initiatives aimed at gender equality frequently adopt a universalist approach, yet this can mask intersectional disparities and reinforce hegemonic masculinity, especially through the spread of Western masculine ideals. Within educational institutions, heteronormative and cisnormative school cultures frequently marginalize non-heterosexual identities, creating challenging environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) students. Although anti-discrimination policies exist, many teachers lack adequate training to address gender and sexuality issues, leading to adverse academic and social outcomes for marginalized students. The study reveals that traditional educational leadership often reinforces conventional gender norms, while transformational leadership grounded in social justice is essential to fostering inclusivity and addressing intersecting inequalities. The findings underscore the need for structural reforms to establish supportive and equitable school settings that acknowledge and celebrate diverse gender identities

Emotions on Social Media as Catalysts for Change: Epistemic and Motivational Potentialities for Gender Equality

Emotions on Social Media as Catalysts for Change: Epistemic and Motivational Potentialities for Gender Equality

Gender inequality and cultural values in explaining gender differences in positive and negative emotions: A comparison of 24 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract The coronavirus pandemic posed a major challenge to mental health. Existing evidence shows that COVID-19 is related to poor emotional well-being, particularly among women. However, most work on the subject uses single-country samples, limiting the ability to generalize the disparity or explain it as a function of societal variables. The present study investigates the expression of positive and negative emotions during the pandemic as a function of gender and across 24 countries (N = 49,637). Strong gender differences emerged across countries, with women reporting more negative emotions (anxious, depressed, nervous, exhausted) and less positive emotions (calm, content, relaxed, energetic) than men. The gender gap in positive emotions was significantly wider in countries higher in individualism and narrower in countries higher in power distance. For instance, differences in emotions were larger in Western countries high in individualism, such as the USA, the UK, Italy, and France, and smaller in countries with higher collectivism and power distance, such as China, Malaysia, and South Korea, with a few exceptions like Japan and Brazil. These gender differences across countries were not explained by country-level gender inequalities indicators (GGGI and GII). Interestingly, the national severity of the pandemic, an epidemiological factor, reduced gender differences in positive emotions. These results underscore the importance of considering cultural and national factors when assessing gender differences in well-being.

Gender Imbalance in Citation Practices in Communication Sciences and Disorders Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite recent advances, gender inequality remains a major concern within the workforce. One manifestation of gender inequality in academia is the undercitation of women-authored compared to men-authored papers that is thought to reflect implicit biases and has important implications for the academic advancement for research-intensive female faculty. These studies largely stem from male-dominant professions. Thus, in this study, we investigated gendered citation practices within communication sciences and disorders (CSD), a female-dominant discipline. We also examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as an exogenous driver of short-term change in publication and citation practices in CSD. Using methods from Dworkin et al. (2020), we characterized expected versus actual man first/man last-authored (MM), man first/woman last-authored (MW), woman first/man last-authored (WM), and woman first/woman last-authored (WW) articles published within a 24-year time span in the four American Speech-Language-Hearing Association journals. We compared gendered publication and citation practices in the 10 years before (2010-2019) to during (August 2020-November 2022) the COVID-19 pandemic. Across journals, we found WW publications increased while MM publications decreased from 1998 to 2022. We found a pattern of overcitation of WW papers and undercitation of MM papers, which was driven primarily by the citation practices of WM and WW teams. These citation trends were found for the years before and during the pandemic and remained when controlling for relevant paper characteristics and author and paper network variables. Consistent with our predictions, we found gender-based citation imbalances that aligned with the gender distributions of CSD, like other fields. The findings align with the notion of homophily (i.e., like attracts like). We review the findings within the context of citation research from other fields as well as discuss the larger implications of these patterns for professional practices in CSD.

A Commentary on Miron et al. (2024): Power Maintenance via Illusory Justice Begets Biased Appraisals as Systemic Practice

Miron et al. (2024) provide a compelling framework for understanding how dominant group members have the power to strategically manipulate evidentiary standards to sustain systemic inequities, particularly in gendered workplace contexts. Our commentary extends their argument by illustrating how these standards not only inhibit justice, but actively create cascading injustices. Herein, we argue that excessive resource demands imposed by high evidentiary thresholds disproportionately burden disadvantaged groups, effectively reducing their available resources and thus threatening their ability to meet performance standards, ultimately reinforcing and exacerbating organizational inequities. This compounded impact ensures that inequality remains self-perpetuating and largely unchallenged. We likewise identify covert discrimination and structural biases as contemporary manifestations of inequality, highlighting how systems ostensibly designed to address injustice often serve to sustain and even amplify it. We propose actionable strategies to combat these inequities. Specifically, we advocate for a multifaceted approach that fosters genuine male allyship, disallows reductive arguments about gender inequalities, reevaluates the distribution of efforts to combat gender inequality, and considers employment-related strategies (e.g., revisiting norms for performance evaluations, recruitment, hiring) to level the playing field at a systemic level. In doing so, we propose specific pathways to begin dismantling systemic barriers and creating organizational cultures that promote justice, reinforcing the nascent call for systemic change while offering new insights into actionable solutions.

Gender Inequality in the Labor Market: Continuing Progress?

This article examines the trends in women’s economic outcomes in the United States, focusing primarily on labor force participation, occupational attainment, and the gender wage gap. Considerable progress was made on all dimensions prior to the 1990s followed by a slowing or stalling of gains thereafter, with a plateauing of female labor force participation trends and a slowing of women’s occupational and wage convergence with men. The author considers the likelihood that progress in narrowing gender gaps will resume in these areas, and concludes it is unlikely without policy intervention. She then considers new policy initiatives to address work–family issues and labor market discrimination that may help to increase female labor force participation and narrow gender inequities in the labor market.

Telaah Hermeneutika Kritis terhadap Femisida dalam Perspektif Al-Qur'an serta Relevansinya terhadapa Pendidikan Agama Islam

Gender injustice that seems to be legitimized by normative texts is seriously challenged by problems of interpretation. This research is a library research and qualitative. The author focuses on Femicide in the Perspective of the Qur'an: A Critical Hermeneutic Analysis and its Relevance to Islamic Religious Education. Femicide is a criminal act of sadistic murder based on hatred of women committed by men. In the Qur'anic perspective, it is substantially described in four verses, namely QS. al-An'am 6: 137, QS. At-Takwir 81: 8, QS. An-Nahl 16: 59 and QS. This is a historical fact as documented in several Prophetic traditions. Femicide behavior in pre-Islamic times should be reinterpreted according to the times. The word can be understood to mean sadistic behavior such as being mutilated, abused, burned, crushed, and so on. Femicide is relevant to discuss because PAI plays an important role in shaping human values and attitudes. PAI has the potential to be an effective tool in instilling aspects of humanity, justice, and respect for human rights, including women's rights.

Computational thinking and gender imbalance in computer science

The percentage of female computer science majors is lower today at U.S. schools than in the 1980s, despite decades of effort by concerned computer scientists and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Researchers have addressed a variety of possible reasons, ranging from the lack of female role models, to sexism on campus and in the workplace, to conflicts between work and motherhood. More recently, efforts to attract women have focused on the content of computer science as a factor deterring women. In particular, recent studies have proposed that the subject will be more appealing to underrepresented groups — especially girls — if teachers emphasize “computational thinking.” The idea that computer science has its own special way of thinking, which can both appeal to women and be transferred to non-computing fields, has been a subject of enthusiasm but also debate among computer education experts. This paper explores the implications of the claim that teaching computational thinking can help undo the gender imbalance in computing, and what this says about computer science itself.

Missing women: Using a Bourdieusian approach to explore the lack of female representation in the technology industry

Gender issues persist in the computing industry, with women representing only just over 20 percent of the workforce, despite numerous initiatives to encourage their wider participation. This paper explores gender inequalities within the computing industry by adapting the sociological lens of Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of capital, habitus and field to understand why inequalities arise and persist in the computing industry. Using interviews with both men and women in the computing industry, the research explores the gender perceptions and systemic experiences from both perspectives. The findings indicate that while inequalities persist, women can and do demonstrate agency in creating their own social support networks to assist in negotiating the male dominated workplace. Promisingly, there is also an increasing awareness among men in the industry regarding the importance of inclusivity, coupled with the positive impact of such developments for them personally.

Higher Education Leadership Agency in Mainstreaming Gender Equality: Insights From Universities in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study explores the perspectives of senior leadership on gender equality within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Kazakhstan, addressing a gap in the literature on the agency of senior leaders in mainstreaming gender equality in post‐Soviet contexts. Kazakhstan is a significant case due to its high ranking on gender indicators in Central Asia and its unique blend of modernization and traditional gender discourses. We interviewed 13 leaders across 10 universities to analyze how they perceive the relationship between gender and education and their potential role in advancing gender equality. Utilizing Butler's theory of performativity, our analysis reveals that senior leaders disregard structural or institutional gender‐related concerns. They tend to uphold and embody traditional gender norms and attribute existing gender inequalities to cultural norms which limit their agency. While leaders acknowledge the role of higher education in promoting gender equality, they perceive gender issues as resistant to change, which creates obstacles to effective gender mainstreaming. The findings provide insights into reimagining gender mainstreaming strategies in HEIs in post‐Soviet contexts and beyond.

Bridging the gap: A narrative synthesis of interventions promoting gender equality in schools in India

Global gender inequality is a persistent challenge, and India grapples with gender disparities in various realms. Targeted initiatives are essential, particularly during adolescents’ formative years, to promote gender equity. Research on gender attitudes and norms in Indian schools is scarce, with even fewer studies evaluating the impact of interventions in this context. This narrative synthesis explores interventions implemented in Indian schools to promote gender equality. We conducted a systematic review, using a narrative synthesis approach, with five studies that focused on school-based interventions addressing gender attitudes and norms among Indian adolescents. All five interventions demonstrated improved gender equality outcomes, indicating that Indian schools an effectively cultivate gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors in adolescents. Future research should assess the long-term effectiveness and adaptability of these interventions across diverse contexts.

The Effect of Global Gender Inequality and Female Employment on The Economic Growth: Panel ARDL

The Effect of Global Gender Inequality and Female Employment on The Economic Growth: Panel ARDL

Immigrants’ Sense of Belonging to Canada: The Role of Source-Country Gender Inequality

Immigrants’ Sense of Belonging to Canada: The Role of Source-Country Gender Inequality

Can role model women in politics help married women reduce suicides? Evidence from a quasi-experimental study in Brazil

BackgroundThe medical literature has demonstrated that macro-variables and social factors can influence suicide rates. Additionally, social science literature has shown that women in prominent political positions (such as mayors) can influence the behavior of other women. The purpose of our work is to demonstrate that women in such positions reduce suicide rates within a group affected by gender inequality: married women.MethodologyWe use regression discontinuity methodology and quasi-experimental electoral designs (elections with a margin of victory very close to zero) to ensure causal inference between the election of women and suicide rates among married women.Principal findingsMunicipalities that elected women as mayors have 1.33 fewer suicides among married women per 100,000 inhabitants compared to those that elected men as mayors.ConclusionThese results offer new insights into how empowered women can challenge social norms and improve public health outcomes.

Gender gap in surgical societies awards.

Despite remarkable progress, gender inequality in medicine remains a significant issue.This disparity extends beyond clinical practices and educational programs; it is also evident in the recognition and awards received by surgeons.Underrepresentation of women in Surgical Society awards is a multi-layered issue that needs a holistic approach since these awards are used to hire, promote, and advance surgeons. A retrospective observational study was performed between 1936 and 2023 on all recipients of awards from 22 surgical societies.The study examines the relationship between recipient gender and award year. Medians, and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were used for continuous data, and frequencies and percentages were used for categorical data.Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare female and male recipients.Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the probability that a female will receive an award. A total of 2588 awards were given out between 1936 and 2023.Among the 2588 awards, 2024 went to male surgeons, and 564 to female surgeons.Since 1936, there have been 0-25 women awarded annually, with a proportion of female awardees between 0 and 0.5. Since 1936, the proportion of women awardees has increased significantly (p < 0.01).Since 2006, female award winners have increased by 0.7% (95% CI 0.007-0.008, p = 0.001) when controlling for surgical societies.A woman's odds of receiving an award from a surgical society have increased by only 3% per year since 2006 (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, p = 0.004).Accordingly, female surgeon awards grew from 0.22 in 2006 to 0.35 in 2023. Female surgeons' continuous underrepresentation in Surgical Society awards is a crucial issue.The selection process of surgical societies needs to be more intentional as female recipients have steadily increased in recent years. Closing this gender gap is not only a matter of fairness but also imperative for the field's progress.

Representation of Women in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Randomized Controlled Trials: Systematic Review.

Sex inequality in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to cardiovascular disease has been observed. This study examined the proportion of women enrolled in atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation RCTs and the potential risks of underrepresentation of women. We systematically searched PubMed and Embase for AF ablation RCTs published from 2015 to 2022. Participant characteristics were compared among trials with higher and lower proportions of women. Of 147 AF ablation RCTs (30,055 participants), only 10 trials had enrolled women ≥50% of the total participants. Additionally, 42 trials (28.57%) excluded pregnant/breastfeeding women; 6 (4.1%) excluded reproductive-age women without reliable birth control. The proportion of women in AF RCTs ranged from 9% to 71% (median 31.5%), whereas the median proportion of men was 67.7%. The rate of women included in the trials was stable from 2015 to 2022 (P=0.49). Study characteristics, including funding source, showed no correlation with the rate of inclusion of women. RCTs with a higher proportion of female participants enrolled older patients with AF, had a higher prevalence of hypertension but less persistent AF, and smaller left atrium size (P<0.05 for all). Biological sex was evaluated as a risk factor or in a subgroup analysis in 28 RCTs; 10.7% of these trials observed the implication of sex on their results. Women were underrepresented in contemporary AF ablation RCTs. Additionally, women enrolled in AF RCTs were likely to have more comorbidities but less advanced AF, limiting the applicability of the results to women with AF.