For many centuries women have been engaged in different work then men. Men mostly have been doing tasks that were physically more demanding from women’s tasks and also more respected. This came from prehistorically times, when men were mostly hunters and women were keepers of the children. That division of labour is still strongly presented in our daily lives.

Stereotypes about typically males and females professions are based on division of labour from history. So, today the majority self-evidently consider that men are doing the profession of mechanic and women the profession of nurse. However such division does not have a special logical explanation, because in this case, man can do work of nurse without any problems and woman a work of mechanic.

Such primitive division of labour about gender led to creation of many unjustified norms concerning professions. Although contemporary society strongly strives to equal status between man and woman, there are still a lot of people, whose professions are arranged on males and females.

In spite of the struggle for equal status between man and woman, it looks like that these stereotypes are still very strong and we will heavily shake them off. There is a lot of things written about this theme, but our everyday life still shows, that people do not want to speak about it.

That is why we decided to make the PBL on this topic to find out, where do stereotypes come from and how stereotypes about professions appear. We will do a survey among on this topic and make two interviews with two persons who have stereotyped professions and try to find out what kind of situation we have today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all know that just one irrelevant information about someone is enough to connect him with many characteristics.

When we see a certain person for the first time, we mark him with generalised characteristics of a certain group and we infer about characteristics of these people. Only one experience is enough to make such a superficial and generalised thinking.

Lipmann defines stereotypes as selective and ethnocentric concepts which lead to narrowed, incomplete and unsuitable representation of the world. (Lippman in Nastran–Ule, 1997 : 156). The main thing about stereotypes is that we mark individuals with certain characteristics based on their group affiliation, not on their personal characteristics. (Nastran-Ule, 1997: 156, 157).

 One of the most frequent divisions in the west culture is sexual division. Maybe we create several division of tasks, behaviour and even personal characteristics, only because of the strict division of sex and because we do not accept the intermediate chance (e.g. hermaphrodites).

Potential differences between the biological sex and gender are bringing chaos to our system of categorisation. That is why we are trying to remove them and prescribe expected patterns of behaviour to men and others to women. Women are expected to be emotional, warm, passive, tender, maternal, dependent and men rational, strong, cold, active, dominant, self-sufficient, independent,…

Palčič-Kobals finds that »sexual stereotypes create unjustified and unrealistic concept about men and women. It is sure that all men are not dominant, cold and independent and all women are not emotional, warm and passive. (Palčič-Kobal in Fireder, 2002:16).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Already in ancient times, biological characteristics have influenced on forming gender roles and add female role inferior denotation. Women were seen as weaker, motherly and attentive. Men have taken this for advantage to gain on their power and prestige. Such attitude continued in prehistoric patriarchal societies which are one of the main factors, which influenced on formatting gender stereotypes. Society was based on natural division of work- male role who was a protector of family and female role was to take care for family and children.

Division on certain gender roles has later consolidated with private property, national education and religion which praised men and despised women.

Gradually predominated the belief that division of work according to gender is something normal and absolutely natural. (Boh in Fireder, 2002: 20)

Gender stereotypes have developed from social norms, but education is the main reason why stereotypes still exist. Children are confronted with gender differentiation in primary socialization by parents. It begins with clothing- parents clothe girls in pink, boys in blue. It continues with toys- parents buy to their girls dolls and toy domestic appliances, with which they encourage them to do a housework and care for others. For boys they buy toy cars, tools and toy weapon, with which they are encouraged to activities, aggression and technical skills.

Therefore children are already in early childhood acquainted with gender roles and expectations how must they behave and what should they become in life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The difference between male and female roles in public and private sphere of life is generally understood to have been weaker in pre-industrial and pre-capitalist Europe. In early industrial capitalist development was easily for men to support non-employed wives. So it became a some kind of cultural norm that women role was to stay at home and take care for family, and for men to go to work to survive a family (Watson, 2003:143).

Against industrial revolution in eighteen century there were going two processes which have a lot of influence on differences between genders. Differences became more visible which is only contributed to strengthening of sexual stereotypes. Range of wage work was increased which women had secured less skilled and paid works. Performance concerning women as mothers was strengthened with Protestantism. Woman had main submission in family because she took care of children and their education; her including into public sphere was negligible. 

Conditions started to change in time of the first and other World War because women of lack of manpower started to mass employ but they were still depended upon husbands economically. In other half of 20th century were factors, as are reducing numbers of the children, increased expected life age and ascent of state welfare, helped a growth of service sector to be more permanent, including of women to the labour market and to disappearing of stereotype concerning woman that she is just a housewife.

Of course are features of sexual division of labour after history changed considering affiliation to certain classes, regions, religious and ethnic groups. Usually have works which were lower valued and less paid, belonged to women. (Černigoj Sadar, 2000: 32-33)

 

Division of labour round gender kept all until today, when we can distribute on typically males and typically women. Typically male occupations represent occupations where are no women or there are just few of them. Top male occupations are: metal worker, central heating installer, car mechanic, electrician, construction carpenter, and gardener worker. Male dominated occupations are also plumbers, fire fighters, truck driver, painters, police officers, janitors, security guards and others.

 

We find women mainly in occupations in care and office jobs. Top of them are: medical secretary, chemist, medical receptionist, secretary, home help, care attendant sick people, day care nurse. We can also find other female occupations like child-care workers, hairdressers, cosmetologists, social workers, etc. It is easier to find men in typically female occupations than vice versa.

Becker,I. (2005): 'Top ten male and female dominated occupations'. Web magazin,http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/arbeid-sociale-zekerheid/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2005/2005-1825-wm.htm(accssed 1st November 2007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That we could introduce contemporary thinking concerning stereotypes and professions as most as possible, we concluded few empirical researches. First we finished our survey on sample of 31 students of fourth grades of high school (19 female and 12 male students).  Questionnaires purpose was to help us to find out how youth, which has already evolved/developed their own ability to critical thinking, see stereotyped occupations, which are for them typically female and typically male, and how would they solve problems which arise because of stereotyping (you can se questionnaire in supplement).

The first question referred to who is more appropriate for doing certain occupation regarding to gender. In our sample the most part of females agreed that women would do better work in the following occupations: nurse, teacher, stewardess, female cook and ballerina. In their opinion men are more appropriate for occupations like policeman, soldier, mine worker, mechanics, constructer worker, professional footballer and a driver.

Male part of our sample was also unified in opinion that female are better in occupations such as nurse, stewardess and ballerina. But in their opinion other occupations such as policeman, soldier, mine worker, mechanics, constructer worker, professional footballer, driver, male cook and teacher are more appropriate for men. So we find out that the only difference in male and female opinion was who is more appropriate for occupations teacher and cook. We guess that male part of our sample sees male cook more appropriate, because in a past there was believed that only women have talent for cooking. Now there is more and more successful male cook appearing in media and due to that is believed that men have much greater talent than women. They also see male teacher as more appropriate. The reason could be that male has different way of teaching, different methods which are more interesting for boys-they are more practical, they identify more with male then with female teacher and girls vice versa.

With the second question we tried to find out if students would react differently if they come in contact with someone who is employed in occupation traditional for opposite sex. 

So we ask them if they would react different if policewoman instead of policeman would stop them. As male and female part of the sample in majority told that in both cases they would react the same, because policewoman and policeman have both the same authorizations.

But among the sample there were also some exceptions, which would not react the same. The reason is that it is still believed that man has bigger authority and power, and due to this they would take him more seriously as policewoman who has in their opinion more human approach.

At health service there has fifteen female students decided that they would trust the same in a female and male nurse, because both are the same educated and qualified. But four of 19 women decided that they would trust more in female nurses because they are more attentive, motherly and tender. Also five male students have expressed their opinion that they would trust more in female nurse because women have more developed sense of nursing. Seven of 12 male students would confide to same extent in both-male and female nurse, because gender do not play so huge role as a way in which somebody do a job.

Fifteen women and five men would trust both, male and female taxi or bus driver in the same amount, because both must have done a driving licence. Only five women would more trust in a female driver because in their opinion, women are more careful drivers then men. But seven men opposed to this- in their opinion men are better drivers with faster reflex and due to this their trust in male drivers is bigger. These results are consequence of stereotype that men are better driver, and here we see that men still argue for that, but female are against that and try to break this stereotype.

All students from our sample agreed that division on female and male occupations still exist. They listed most typical female professions which are in their opinion nurse, stewardess, cleaner, model, secretary, nanny, housewife, dressmaker and cosmetician. Professions which appear more often for typically male are: driver, racer, mechanic, priest, mason, electro technician, fireman, postman, housekeeper and sailor. These were the most frequent occupations which appeared in our list. We notice that they wrote only occupations which have lower status. Reason might be in occupations with higher rank the division on typically male and typically female occupation is not so obvious and there are more occupations in which men and women are equally represented.

Bigger proportion of women (17 of 19 has agreed that women are still discriminated) not only in occupations which are typical for men, but also in those who are typical for women. Men proportion of our sample was at this question very disunited – 5 of them disagree that women are still discriminated and 6 of them say that discrimination still exist. The majority of our sample was opinion that discrimination of men appears more rarely than discrimination of women and only in professions which are traditionally women.

We find out that stereotypes about certain, especially those of lower and middle status still exist.

The main reason for this that people still behave regarding to stereotypes and that we still have traditionally female and traditionally male occupations is schooling and education.

The youth are aware of stereotyping in professions and they would try to lessen it. On our question how would they solve a problem of stereotyped professions they answer that informing people about problems would help and also county has to make a greater effort in preventing discrimination and in supporting people who decide for non-traditional occupation. People have to try to avoid to see everything through natural division of labour on male and female roles and try to treat both gender equally.

But the greatest influence on creating stereotypes and their existence has a primary socialization which is the strongest. If we want to make stereotypes weaker, primary socialization must be changed and the greatest role in changing it have parents and teachers in nursery schools.

With intention that we would show how individuals appear in professions that would not be suitable for them, we made a interview with male, who is doing typically female occupation (medical technician) and female, that slanders male occupation  (taxi driver). We wanted to see the second point of view from those who work in dominated occupations. Interviewees has introduced us their own side of experiences with patients and customers (you can see questionnaire in supplement).

We have done our first interview with David, who works like medical technician at the emergency ward.

When he decided for this profession, his family wanted to make that impossible. The reason was that this occupation is not for boys. When he got a job, his employed collaborators were not having any prejudices concerning him. They admitted him among themselves. In spite of all they consider him as a stronger person and more bold one. Work is distributed by considering degree of education in collectively and it is not based on gender. In spite of this he rather does heavily physical work instead of woman. He says that patients have been accepted him positively so far. He finds himself in unpleasant situation when he has to care for people older than seventy years and people of certain religion, which is not allowing male nursing. He does not get observations among doing his work.

In his opinion male more rarely decide for this profession because this work gets large responsibility, salaries are low and it is also a psychic work. In spite of this he thinks that conditions of medical students make progress in Slovenia.

We found out that occupation medical technician is not any more as stereotyped as was sometimes. We deduce based on his experiences with patients that in this occupation people trust as female as male. Still present distrust to medical technician is only at older patients because they were grown with traditional values and now they receive changes heavily.

The second interview was done with female taxi driver. She decided for this occupation spontaneously. She had just disagreements in her previous job and was very unsatisfied. Her family and friends had 100% supported her decision that she will became a taxi driver, because they knew that she was unsatisfied with her job. They had not been surprised also because they knew her personality and susceptibility to unusual and new things. But neighbours were very surprised when they find out what was her new occupation. Few weeks they looked at her with astonishment, but nobody said anything. 

In her occupation are mostly employed male taxi driver, but she said that number of female taxi driver is slowly rising - she knows approximately 15 female taxi drivers, at beginning of her work as a taxi driver (9 years ago) there were only a few.

She does not have problems with male taxi drivers with which she collaborate. Her co-workers have accepted her equally than other. Problems only appear by competitors (there is present a huge enviousness, which she experiences in higher extent than her co-workers which are male).

She said that experiences with customers are mostly positive. Very positive reactions come from women, especially from older women. Also unpleasant things happen (once a while some of customers do not pay and run away). But she added that that kind of things happen also to male drivers.

Only observation connected with this that she is a female was when some man very despicably said that there is no way that he would be driven by a woman. But she was not sensitive about that, she only said no problem and drove away.

In her opinion the main reason that there is not so many female taxi drivers is because this occupation is by majority of people (especially female population) stereotyped and believed as a very dangerous occupation which only men can handle. Because of night shifts you meet all kind of people and if they have mean intentions, you are as a female more likely to be a victim. She also said that maybe females rarely decide for this occupation because it is also physically hard to seat 12 hours constantly in a car and being focused on traffic.

We found out that also occupation of female taxi driver is not so unusual as was years ago. That is also a reason why more women decide for this work. Female taxi driver at own part does not feel problems connected with sexual stereotypes, at times some observations from male side distributes her. They are still convinced that male drivers are better. It is interesting that many women support female taxi driver at her work. In our opinion this means that women would like to break myths that are posing males in some professions unjustified in foreground. 

 

Round all finished researches concerning stereotyped professions we found out that sexual stereotypes are still present but much less than in history. We think that there will be stereotypes always. It will be depending upon social environment about how much measure will be represented. How will we confront with them is depended from every individual.

Solving problem of presence of stereotypes between professions must be started already at education of child. Already beginning of child's life is marked with sexual stereotypes because male gets blue clothes and female pink ones. This is continued with toys because boys are getting cars in gifts but little girls Barbie. They are stimulating boys to interest in technology and girls for housekeeping much more. Such distinguishing is present in family, kindergartens and afterward in schools. We would have to get boys and girls interests per technology or housekeeping and we would not be allowed to make differences. Nowadays there already exist kindergartens that are aware of share which they have at creating of stereotypes and they are not separating children at play round gender but cooking is stimulating boy to play and playing with cars to girls. Educators also more carefully choose books because child already read book in which perform female police officer, female firemen or mechanic as also cleaners, dancers or hairdressers.

Also media should be more encourage to equal status between genders and not give in different films and stories women behind cooker and males in workroom. Media encourage more to deciding for traditional professions that they are typical for definite gender and individuals that they wish to do profession, which is traditionally characterised otherwise for opposite sex and get to heavy position because they are restricted to one side with their wish but on the other side this is not appropriate.

We felt presence of professional stereotypes also alone between researches. We had few problems with translation of professions from Slovenian namely in English because English knows only one shape of profession while Slovenian separates both gender. English separates concept of medical technician and taxi driver per case only based on words of male and female in contrast Slovenian knows two expressions for man and for woman. 

Condition in today’s society it is not so badly soot saw that stereotypes do not occur any more often and individuals are aware of such problems more and they try to save her creatively.  We believe that because of advanced manner of thinking, contemporary society situation on this field only can improved.  

 

Černigoj Sadar, Nevenka (2000): Spolne razlike v formalnem in neformalnem delu. Družboslovne razprave, Let.34-35, pg.31-52.

 

Fireder, Maja (2002): Spolni stereotipi: nova vloga očeta -diplomsko

delo. Ljubljana: Fakulteta za družbene vede.

 

Giddens, Anthony (1993): Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press.

 

Jogan, M. (2001): Seksizem v vsakdanjem življenju. Znanstvena knjižnjica  Fakulteta za družbene vede, Ljubljana.

 

Milharčič Hladnik, Mirjam (1995): Šolstvo in učiteljice na Slovenskem. Znanstveno in publicistično središče, Ljubljana

 

Nastran-Ule, Mirjana (1997): Temelji socialne psihologije. Ljubljana: Znanstveno in publicistično središče.

 

Šadl, Zdenka (2002): Emocionalno delo v storitvenih organizacijah, Teorija in praksa, year.39, pg.49-80.

 

Watson J., Tony (2003): Sociology, work and industry. Routledge, New York

 

INTERNET SOURCE:

Becker,I. (2005): 'Top ten male and female dominated occupations'. Web magazin, http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/arbeid-sociale-zekerheid/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2005/2005-1825-wm.htm

(accssed on 1st November 2007)

 

 

 

 

 

1. How long do you work as a taxi driver/medical technician?

2. When and why did you decide for this occupation?

3. How did family and friends react on your decision?

4. Are work tasks distributed among co-workers with regard to gender?(in a way that man has to do work which is physically harder)

5. You work in male/female dominated occupation.. Did your co-workers accept you as one of them? Are they treating you as same as others or is there any difference?

6. How do customers/patients react when they came in contact with you? Have you ever had some bad experience with them?

7. Has anybody ever give you a feeling that you do not belong to this occupation because of your gender?

8. Why do you think that men/women do not decide for this occupation very often? What do you think that is the main reason that there is not so many mele/female workers in this occupation?

9. If you had a chance, would you decide for different occupation?

7.2. INTERVIEW I (with Mr. David Vrhovec, 23 years old, working at the emergency ward)

D: I have been working as medical technician for three years.

 

D: I decided for this occupation in my third class of a primary school. Parents opposed me, telling me only bad things concerning profession. But I insisted. I am in this occupation because I want to help people, I want to be in contact with them. This work is making me happy and this is the most important.

D: At first they were surprised but later they accepted and supported me with my decision. Friends, family and others are happy that they have somebody to give them advice in case of injury and illness.

 

D: Work in collectively is distributed considering degree of education. It is also a lot depended of individual. So male are not necessary to make all heavy physical work. However I rather finish this work instead of female. 

D: Co-workers accepted me without a word. They treat me little otherwise because I am male and I achieve compromise with doctors more easily.

 

D: All patients positively accept my work and they do not have declinator attitude. I become involved in unpleasant situations when I treat people older then seventy years and people of one religion which disapprove male nursing.

D: No, I still haven’t been in a such situation.

 

D: I think that there are not so many males of employees because of large responsibility, low paid work and psychic work. I noticed that there are more males at medical school from year to year.

D: No, I would not decide differently.

 

7.3. INTERVIEW II (with Mrs. Mojca Govednik, working as female taxi driver)

M: 9 years

M: The decision for this occupation came spontaneously. I was very unsatisfied with my job, because I had just disagreements with my boss. Some day when I needed a ride I began a conversation with a taxi driver. In a joke I said to him that if anyone to whom this idea mashed through mind can drive a taxi, so can I and even better. And next day a taxi driver called me and gave me an offer. I said to myself why not I would give a try because I was feed up with my job. And now I have been doing it already for 9 years.

 

M: My family and friends gave me 100% supported to my decision, because they knew that I was unsatisfied with my previous job. They had also not been surprised because they knew me and my passion to new things. But neighbours were very surprised when they find it out. Few weeks they looked at me with astonishment, but nobody said anything to me. 

M: Approximately 15 female taxi drivers. At the beginning of my work there were only a few.

M: Male taxi drivers with who I collaborate, treat me equally as other male co-workers. I have only problems with competitors- a huge enviousness appears. Maybe because for them is some kind of insult to see a more successful female taxi driver than male.

 

M: I must say that experiences with costumers are mostly positive. Very positive reactions come from women, especially from older women. The only bad experience which you can have once in a while that some of customers do not pay and run away. But that kind of things happen also to male drivers.

 

M: Yes. Once one man said to me that there is no way that he will be driven by a »hag«. I said okay and drove away.

 

M: Majority of people (especially female population) believe that being a taxi driver is very dangerous for women and only men can handle it- because of night shifts you meet all kind of people and if they have mean intentions you are as female more likely to be victim. But I do not see that in this way, because I haven’t been in dangerous situations. Maybe female rarely decide for this occupation also because it is physically hard to seat 12 hours constantly in a car and being focused on traffic.

M: I would again decide for this occupation because I am very satisfied with it.

 

 

STEREOTYPED PROFESSIONS

 

 

Hello!

 

We are students from Faculty of Social Sciences, program Human resources managment. In the range of subject Sociology of work , under counsellor of Aleksandra Kanjuo Mrčela and Zorko Vida, we execute researching of existence stereotypes within some occupations. Your cooperation in this reserach would help us to get more proper result.

We thank you in advance.

 

Surround an answer or make a note where is necessary.

 

Sex:     male         female

 

Age:________

 

 

 

 

a)      Yes

b)      No

             

      Why?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

a)      Medical technician

b)      nurse

c)      both the same

 

 

            

            Why?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

a)      Yes

b)      No

          

           Why?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

         

 

a)      Yes

b)      No

        

If you were decide it for answer Yes please count up some of them:

 

 

 

a)      Yes

b)      No

              

      

                   a) Education at home

                   b) School

                   c) Character

                   d) Religion

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________      

 

Thank you for your cooperation…

                                                                                      

                                                                                              Best regards,

 

                                                    Tina Drnovšek, Anja Jamšek, Tina Slapničar, Saša Pucelj