The gender flip: are patriarchy’s days numbered?

Last year, hundreds of women took to social media to show they “don’t need feminism”. These Women against Feminism were publicly rejecting a gender equality movement they felt had not done enough to celebrate what makes women different to men.

In the heated debates that followed, many people pointed out that the women involved had completely misunderstood the idea of gender equality. As the United Nations notes in its definition of the term, “equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men.”

According to this definition, those who promote gender equality do not deny there are differences between men and women. But they seek to create a world where these differences do not determine what a boy or girl can be or become. Unfortunately, while this definition is accurate, the misunderstanding we’ve already spoken about is widespread – and it is harming our chances of achieving true equality.

Reframing the debate

Perhaps, then, we should be reframing the issue. Instead of trying to achieve gender equality, we should be focusing on eradicating gender dominance, that is to say overturning the patriarchal system – with the man as head of the family, breadwinner and decision-maker – that has dominated for centuries. To do so, we must first understand how it came into existence.

Three things are essential to survival: sex (reproduction), sustenance (nourishment) and safety (longevity). Society develops a certain way, optimized for survival, because of the surrounding environment. On average, men are much stronger than women when it comes to brute strength. As a result, when survival depended on aggression (hunting, fighting predators) and heavy-duty work (working with heavy machinery, for example), it was a man’s world. In general, men brought home the sustenance and kept the family safe, so a patriarchal society was born.

But that old order is shifting. As The Economist wrote back in 2009, “When brute strength mattered more than brains, men had an inherent advantage. Now that brainpower has triumphed, the two sexes are more evenly matched.”

Flipping gender on its head

The time is ripe for what I like to call a “gender flip”, where the environment that has for so long facilitated one type of gender dominance is changing. What skills will be valued in this new world? For one thing, the knowledge economy will rely on a constant supply of highly educated workers. Women fit the bill. In fact, findings from Pew Research show that at the start of our careers, we are better educated than our male counterparts. It will also need good managers to lead the way. Again, women could be at an advantage, as some studies have found us to be more effective leaders. It will also require a great deal of emotional intelligence – communications skills, empathy and teamwork. As technological advances eliminate the need for physically demanding work, these soft skills will become even more important. Some research seems to suggest that these skills come more naturally to women, which again gives us an edge.

What does this gender flip mean for people other than women? Will it lead to female gender dominance? Not if men proactively fit themselves into these new roles that require a different set of skills. It might also give them the chance to redefine themselves. As Betty Friedan wrote, men too were victims of this patriarchal society that championed “an outmoded masculine mystique that made them feel unnecessarily inadequate”.

I cannot close this viewpoint without touching upon minority rights in this big debate between men and women. While proponents of gender equality wax eloquent about increasing female participation in the workplace, things are hushed on the issue of transgender inclusion. What will be their role when the gender flip happens? I feel they will be much better placed. While several factors will lead to that – for instance the appreciation of the individual rather than the gender – women in leadership will be a critical catalyst. Women can identify and empathize more with the issues transgender people deal with in the workplace. And with more women in leadership, we can expect a more open and inclusive workplace.

Author: Supriya Jain is Head of Thought Leadership Marketing at Wipro Limited.

Image: Pedestrians waiting for the crossing lights to change at the King Street – George Street intersection, Sydney. From Dave Young on Flickr.