EY Y04 L22 Gender Roles

  1. There are many jobs, both in Japan and around the world, that are dominated by men. Name one. Why do you think this is a "man's job"? Could a woman do this job as well as a man?
  2. There are many jobs, both in Japan and around the world, that are dominated by women. Name one. Why do you think this is a "woman's job"? Could a man do this job as well as a woman?
  3. Can you think of any jobs that should only be done by either men or women? Or do you believe that anyone can do any job, regardless of their gender? Why?
  4. Have attitudes towards gender roles in Japan changed much in the past 20 years? Are men and women becoming more equal? Why?
  5. As a person living in Japan, do you think life is easier for men or women?
  6. Are you glad you were born the gender that you are? Why?

Question 1

I used to work in the Construction and Design industry and I can attest that it is clearly a male-dominated world. Majority of the engineers and construction managers are men. These jobs demand long work hours which is probably why most women are not attracted to such careers in the first place.

Question 2

Most jobs in the Hospitality industry are dominated by women. It might be rooted in societal expectations. We expect women to be more caring and nurturing so we assign them to jobs that require a high level of customer service.

Question 3

I used to think only men can be seafarers because it's a physically demanding job and requires rigorous training especially if you get assigned technical tasks for ship maintenance. Now, I personally know two women from my hometown who work as seafarers. I think this industry is leaning towards becoming more gender-free in the future.

Question 4

I haven't lived as long in Japan to make a fair judgment but I think the glass ceiling for women is gradually blurring. According to the Gender Gap index statistics, Japan is still behind in matters of gender equality compared to the rest of the world. However, we can see hopeful changes as we can see more women getting promoted to bigger roles and positions.

Question 5

I definitely think life is easier for men. Men also have a heavy burden of societal expectations on their shoulders. However, for women, the working conditions to be able to work and raise their own families will always require a compromise.

Question 6

I never imagined myself being born as a man. But come to think of it, maybe I could have handled my construction projects more efficiently and I wouldn't have to endure sexist jokes on site if I were a man.

Tough Vocabulary