A week ago, it hadn’t occurred to me it would be a disadvantage for men to support the feminist agenda, but when I started to thinking about it, I couldn’t get over it.
If equality truly existed among genders, races and oppressed groups, men — particularly those empowered and most likely to affect change — would have the most to lose. With equality granted to women of all races and at all levels of income, what do men stand to lose?
Well, let’s say you’re a man and you go into a job interview. Studies show you, as a man, have a better chance of being hired for a management position, even within academic science fields. Men are perceived to be more competent, more qualified and better mentors in the workplace than are women — which isn’t a surprise. It’s advantages like these that show what men have to lose with full gender equality.
If you found out you were chosen for a job because of your gender, would you give that job up for the sake of feminism?
If not, you’re not on the fast track to equality for women or minority groups. A 2003 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research entitled “Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” found applicants with “white” names were more likely to get calls back for jobs than those with “black” names.
Men are also more likely to get promoted earlier and are more likely to get higher pay when they receive raises.
This is all made easier by the fact that management roles have traditionally been held by men and are therefore more geared toward men and the qualities men stereotypically have, according to the report “Invisible Privilege What White Men Don’t See.” The role of manager has also been traditionally held by white people, which puts minorities at a disadvantage.
The report also listed 24 advantages of being a white man, which included, “If I get a position, people are not likely to assume that I ‘only’ got it on account of my race (or gender),” “I will not be asked to represent the ‘white’ or ‘male’ viewpoint on matters under discussion” and “I am unlikely to be referred to (either to my face, or privately) as ‘the white manager’ or the ‘man manager’ in our division.”
With equality, the traditional structure of management roles and decision-making might need to be lifted to allow for attributes that are common between men and women. A man who grew up in the stereotypical gender role would have to adapt his style of management (just like women have to do in the workplace now) to fit a more universal management system.
Home life would also have to be restructured. Yes, we know you don’t want to do dishes or make the bed, and neither do we sometimes, so you can’t just use our gender as an excuse for why we have to do the stay-at-home work.
To truly be a proponent of equality, one must believe in dismantling the system and constructs that have shaped our society and current positions of power.
While we may have a woman elected president and men have joined women in women’s studies classes, it isn’t until men step down and see women as their equals in all areas of life that true change will take place. You may see equality as women rising to be equals with men, but men must also take a step down to become equals with women.
Nicole Wiesenthal is a UF journalism senior. Her column appears on Fridays.
