I’m sure we all know by now that men and women see things differently. We are well-acquainted with the infamously common jokes that draw on sexist connotations.
And yet the implications of the widely varying perceptions men and women have about gender equality are far from hilarious.
Indeed, a recent gender equality survey shows a stark contrast between the attitudes of men in four Middle Eastern countries – Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine – and convictions held by women about equality and sharing household responsibilities.
As an example, more than half of the Egyptian men surveyed agreed that there are times when women deserve to be beaten. Naturally, less than a third of women holding the same belief.
Meanwhile, while almost three-quarters of Egyptian women surveyed said married women should have the same rights to work outside the home as their husbands, less than a third of Egyptian men agreed.
And even more startling is the fact that while younger women held more progressive views than older women, attitudes were broadly the same across all men’s age groups, except in Lebanon, where younger men showed slightly more progressive attitudes.
These kinds of disparities exist around the world, but the mismatch of perceptions is truly troubling. A Harvard Business Review article looked at the career expectations of Harvard Business School graduates.
Only half of the men surveyed were sure spouses’ careers would take equal priority, whereas almost all the women interviewed thought their careers would take equal priority.
About 75 per cent of male participants believed their wives should assume the homemaker role, compared with only half of women holding the same view despite the fact that the majority surveyed are, in fact, homemakers. Examples of this are numerous. The brutal truth is that men simply don’t take note of the disparity and remain comfortable in the shoes they’ve been given by society.
But there’s a darker side that analysts of the study allude to.
This is the growing global phenomenon of ‘hypermasculinity’ thanks to unemployment.
In fact, a key source of stress for men was the challenge of finding paid work in times of economic uncertainty, particularly in countries affected by conflict.
Feeling the pressure to bring home the bread is driving men to become even more sensitive about their masculinity, inducing an opposite reaction where they are, therefore, less likely to care about gender equality for fear of being undermined.
Between a fifth and half of men reported being ashamed to face their families because of lack of work or income.
Indeed, the effects of conflict and unemployment were frequently cited as a factor for depression among men.
We see this same toxic masculinity in the rise of the right – which berates feminism as ugly – appearing in a similar backdrop of uncertainty and change.
Tough guy Trump is the epitome of this trend. This ‘super macho’ perception problem has real life ramifications.
A UK study looking at attitudes and behaviour took housework as a case in point. In the study, women reported spending an average of 13 hours on housework and 23 hours caring for family members a week. Men, by contrast, spend only 8 hours a week mopping and dusting and 10 hours being selfless. While it comes no surprise that women report this as unfair, what is surprising is that men agree, at least in theory. But while both sexes theoretically believe in the shift – and even think they are upholding it – the reality is that women continue to bear the brunt of the housework – while also working for money. This becomes even more worrying and significant when it comes to violence since the study did, after all, point out that many feel it is acceptable to beat their wives.
The short of it is that the disparity between gender expectations is one that we must continue to identify and learn to manage. If we don’t, the impact will be felt both at a social level and at an individual level at home.
Its implications for mental health, the potential disintegration of the family unit and social stability are huge.
And while we may wrongly indulge sexist stereotypes as a bit of a joke, such implications will be no laughing matter.
And if you don’t believe any of these scenarios or convictions, ask your partner about their perceptions. You may well be surprised at what you discover.
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is the author of the books Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World and Love in a Headscarf
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Remaining Fixtures
Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
UAE Team Emirates
Valerio Conti (ITA)
Alessandro Covi (ITA)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Davide Formolo (ITA)
Fernando Gaviria (COL)
Sebastian Molano (COL)
Maximiliano Richeze (ARG)
Diego Ulissi (ITAS)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
