Gender Stereotypes from the Perspective of Slovaks
Gender inequality is a long-standing social and economic issue that persists in various parts of the world, despite the growing emphasis on equality and inclusion. The phenomenon known as the gender pay gap refers to the differences in average wages between women and men for the same or comparable work. Even though the legal and political institutions of many countries have committed to reducing this inequality, its presence is deeply rooted in the structural and cultural factors of society. In Slovakia, as in many European countries, gender pay disparities persist despite legal regulations prohibiting wage discrimination, and this is also reflected in how Slovaks perceive gender inequality.
The gender perceptions of Slovaks come from the results of the 11th round of the international project European Social Survey (ESS, ERIC, 2023).
Almost 50% of Slovaks (out of 1,369 respondents to the question) are strongly in favor or somewhat in favour with the statement that women are often paid less for the same work. 33.5% of Slovaks are neither in favour nor against with the statement. 13.4% of Slovaks are somewhat or strongly in favour with the statement.
16.8% of respondents (out of 1,380 who answered the question) expressed the view that women often or always try to gain power by taking control over men. 49.4% of Slovaks believe that this happens sometimes, 24.4% said it happens rarely, and 5.1% of Slovaks said that women never try to gain power by taking control over men.
More than 70% of Slovaks (out of 1,415 respondents to the question) strongly agree or agree with the statement that women should be protected by men. 23.5% neither agree nor disagree, while 5.9% either disagree or strongly disagree with the statement.
Most results suggest that traditional gender stereotypes still persist in Slovak society. For example, the high level of agreement that women should be protected by men may be associated with more conservative views about the roles of men and women. Nearly 50% of respondents indicate an awareness of gender inequality in wages, which may suggest that discussions about equal pay are beginning to enter public consciousness.
Edited by Tatiana Pethö, Spoločenskovedný ústav CSPV SAV, v. v. i.
Graphics: SÚ CSPV SAV