The onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to progress toward gender equality and, instead, exacerbated existing gender inequalities across domains – from gendered divisions of labour to economic stability. In this paper, we uncover some of the most glaring gender inequalities that have arisen in the Covid-19 pandemic and discuss how social psychological theories and research – including work on gender stereotypes and roles, responses to threat, precarious masculinity, perceptions of risk, and backlash – can help to explain the roots of these inequalities.
By: Alexandra Fisher and Michelle Ryan
Posted on 25 November 2020
Overview
In this paper we document some of the most glaring gender inequalities that have arisen in the Covid-19 pandemic and discuss how social psychological theories and research– including work on gender stereotypes and roles, responses to threat, precarious masculinity, perceptions of risk, and backlash – can help to explain the roots of these inequalities.
In doing so, we use a broad definition of gender and consider relevant intersections of identity. Finally, we present three key considerations for research on gender inequalities moving forward. Namely, the need for social psychologists to:
- Challenge binary conceptualisations of gender
- Broaden the focus of research on gender inequalities
- Adopt an intersectional lens to address systemic inequalities in the wake of Covid-19
Contact
Alex Fisher
Research Fellow
