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In the world of work, men describe themselves as “active” in defending the rights of their female colleagues. However, these same collaborators are far from considering their male colleagues as allies. This is in any case what emerges from a recent survey carried out by an American association.
In terms of equal pay, male employees can position themselves as true allies. An American study has also shown that the fight for equality between men and women at work has more weight when it is carried out in a mixed group (and therefore not only by women). But are the men who work in the companies really allies? A recent survey carried out in the United States by the Integrating Women Leaders Foundation (IWL) shows that it depends above all on the perception of the person being questioned on this subject.
Indeed, among the senior executives questioned, 77% of men see themselves (themselves or their colleagues of the same sex) as “defenders” of the fight for equality between men and women. A point of view shared by only 45% of senior executives, who therefore take a different and much more critical look at the involvement of their male colleagues as allies. Along the same lines, one in two men said they see male employees taking “active” measures in favor of their female colleagues. To the same question, only one in four women answered in the affirmative.
But on what aspects do employees rely to support their assertions? Apart from the defense of equal pay for equal positions and skills, this also involves the specific behavior of employees among themselves. For example, giving credit to their female colleagues for their ideas and contributions: 71% of men seem convinced that this is the case, against only 40% of women, a difference of 31%.
Sexist microaggressions
Ditto when it comes to a promotion: 40% of men claim to plead in favor of their collaborators, but 19% of women confirm that this is indeed the case. Men are also 44% to ensure that they defend the cause of women, even when they are not present in the room, when only 13% of female employees share this point of view!
The study also paid attention to microaggressions, i.e. “the subtle, often unconscious messages that devalue, discourage and harm work performance“. According to the answers obtained by the women questioned, 65% of them suffered these micro-aggressions, whether verbal or behavioral. For example, being interrupted more often than their male colleagues when they take the floor in meetings or to see their judgment called into question even when they express themselves in their field of expertise. Well-known sexist mechanisms that feminist activists designate by the English terms “manterrupting” and “mansplaining”.
But it also goes through making their work invisible, which can result in a lack of recognition of their contributions to a certain file or project (or even being robbed of their ideas) or even being asked to carry out tasks not inherent to their job description (for example, planning meetings or taking notes).
“Altruism is essential to advancing gender equity. This research validates the fact that much more education, awareness and denunciation of devaluing behaviors is needed“, concludes the investigation.