Why Is Women's Work Less Valued?

The valuation of women is a topic addressed by the famous transgender neuroscientist Ben Barres. He testified about the different treatment he received from the scientific community before and after his transition. He was one of the first to highlight sexism in the scientific field. His work, which remained the same, was judged differently based on his gender. How is it possible that the same work can be categorized as inferior if produced by a woman? What mechanisms are in place that give us the illusion that men are better?

Work Valuation Is Still Gendered

Today, we observe two mechanisms that drive the differentiated judgment of work performed by a man versus a woman.

The Perceived Value of Women

The establishment of a value difference between the sexes occurred a very long time ago. According to Françoise Héritier's theory of "the Differential Valence of the Sexes," the hierarchical construction places women below men. We find the need for men to take control of what they cannot do without going through a woman's body: reproduction. "Because men do not give birth directly with their own bodies, while women give birth to both girls and boys, they have ensured that female bodies are at their disposal." This value difference created a supremacy of the masculine over the feminine, a hierarchy signaling that values carried by the masculine pole are considered superior to those carried by the feminine pole.

The Perceived Behavior of Women

Beyond perceived value, we still encounter the issue of perceived behavior of women. A brilliant woman is automatically stereotyped as unlikeable, with the supposed need to push the competition off a cliff to succeed. And when women try to succeed or play in the same league, there are always men ready to remind them they don't belong. In March 2019, a female athlete was stopped by organizers during a race. The reason? She was getting too close to the men's group, which had started 8 minutes before the women's. We conclude that social expectations toward women have never been those of challengers or winners. Women would therefore be predestined to always occupy second place.

Consequences on Gender Equality

The consequences of this differentiation are numerous. There are three main ones: on careers, in representations, and on health.

Consequences on Careers

Today, it is still considered that a woman's work is less qualitative than a man's or that she doesn't have the expected attitude. Women reach less prestigious positions and are paid less because:

• Differentiated socialization and stereotypes reinforce the idea that a woman cannot be ambitious and doesn't have the capabilities to succeed.
• Women are forced to work harder to succeed.
• When they put everything in place to achieve it, recruitment and promotion systems delay their progression.

Consequences on Representations

In collective representations and public spaces, women are predominantly represented in secondary roles, whether in fiction or reality. Particularly in the business world, where gendered job postings still exist. Companies look for a director and his assistant, or a department manager and a female cashier.

Consequences on Health

For some women, work pressure can lead to the abuse of performance-enhancing medications. In an analysis of prescriptions for Attention Deficit Disorder treatment, researchers found that consumption of these medications among young women had increased. It is therefore urgent to transform our thought patterns to allow women to obtain the place their capabilities deserve.

Promoting the Valuation of Women

There is a foundation in our society from which all the levers of action we can stimulate stem: the "male gaze." This term refers to the fact that the dominant culture forces the public to adopt the perspective of the white heterosexual man. In a culture where women's capabilities are not respected, it is impossible for them to learn effectively, to progress, to lead, or to participate in society in a fulfilling way. So how can we ensure that the male gaze is no longer the established norm?

Ensuring Leadership Diversity

We should start by strengthening leadership diversity in all types of institutions. In companies, the focus should be on diversity among managers and executive committee members. Diversity offers a much broader perspective with more nuance and respect for different viewpoints.

Reviewing All Systems

Today, we must understand that the principle of equal opportunity does not truly exist in our societies and that we need to review all our systems (recruitment, promotions, grants...)

Fighting Discrimination

Companies should no longer ignore discrimination. It's not only women who should support women when leaders have the responsibility to speak up. It is important to allow women to pursue brilliant studies if they wish and have the skills. Knowledge is the source of emancipation. As Ben Barres says, "Regarding bias, it seems that the desire to believe in a meritocracy is so powerful that until a person has personally experienced a prejudice that harms their career, they simply do not believe it exists."