Sexual biases remain strong at home, school and workplace

By Choi Sung-jin

More than three-quarters of young female workers think employment and the workplace atmosphere are unequal between the sexes while fewer than half of their male counterparts feel so, a survey shows.

Asked whether men and women are treated equally in landing jobs and working, 75.5 percent of female workers said “no” but only 48.6 percent of men said so.

It was part of a survey of 1,000 people in their 20s and 30s, plus 500 adolescents, by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family last month to discover their awareness of sexual equality.

As to what is most unequal, male workers cited the “culture of night overtime” most, while their female counterparts pointed to an atmosphere that expects them to quit for reasons of marriage and childbirth.

In detail, 27.4 percent of young male workers feel discriminated against when they are told to do night duty as if it were natural, followed by 15.3 percent who said men have to do demanding jobs while women do largely petty errands, 15.1 percent who cited the recommendation to resign because of marriage and childbirth, 7.9 percent naming the wage gap between sexes and 7.7 percent pointing to discrimination in using parental leave and sexual harassment at work.

In comparison, the largest share of women workers (23.4 percent) cited advice to retire for reasons of marriage and childbirth, followed by the wage gap between sexes (15.1 percent), disparity in promotion between sexes (13.7 percent), overall preference for men (13.5 percent) and doing small errands (9.1 percent).

Asked what women (mothers) do mostly at home, 40.2 percent of respondents said “cooking in the kitchen,” followed by taking care of children (20.2 percent), doing the dishes (12.8 percent), washing or folding clothes (10.8 percent) and watching TV (5.4 percent).

In the case of men (fathers), 34.6 percent said watching TV, sitting or lying on the sofa (20.4 percent), using computers or smartphones (12 percent), taking care of children (6.8 percent) and lying on a bed (6.4 percent).

Nearly half (49.6 percent) of female respondents said men and women are not equal at home while only 25.1 percent of men said so.

As to the marriage culture, 58.7 percent of adults and 39.8 percent of teenagers felt unequal. Asked about the biggest problem that needs attention, 69.4 percent of adults and 38.4 percent of adolescents pointed to the culture in which would-be husbands are expected to buy or rent a home, while the wives provide the home furnishings.

About inequality at school, the largest portion of teenage respondents (26.9 percent of boys and 24.6 percent of girls) cited changes in teachers’ attitudes in treating male and female students. For instance, 26.2 percent of boys said they are scolded more harshly than girls for the same mistakes, while 24.6 percent of girls complained teachers tend to think they are poorer at sports than boys.

“Women’s advances in society have increased and people’s awareness has also changed in positive ways, but the survey shows sexual biases still remain strong at home, school and workplaces,” said Lee Ki-soon, director general for women’s policy at the ministry.