Invisible Women

1. The gender data gap permeates all aspects of society

From the theory of Man the Hunter, the chroniclers of the past have left little space for women's role in the evolution of humanity, whether cultural or biological.

Invisible by default. The gender data gap stems from a long history of seeing the male experience as universal and the female experience as niche or atypical. This bias is deeply embedded in language, culture, and institutions. It manifests in countless ways, from crash test dummies based on male bodies to urban planning that ignores women's safety concerns. The result is a world designed around male needs and experiences, where women are often an afterthought.

Widespread consequences. The gender data gap has far-reaching impacts on women's lives:

• Safety: Cars designed for male bodies put women at greater risk of injury in crashes
• Health: Medical research focused on male subjects leads to misdiagnosis and improper treatment for women
• Economics: Failure to account for women's unpaid work skews economic measures and policy
• Technology: AI and algorithms trained on male-dominated datasets perpetuate and amplify existing biases

2. Male-biased design creates a world that doesn't fit women

Design that fails to account for the fact that women menstruate is a perennial problem with an easy solution: include proper pockets in women's clothing.

One-size-fits-men. From smartphones too large for women's hands to office temperatures calibrated for men's metabolisms, the world is full of designs that ignore women's needs and bodies. This "one-size-fits-men" approach stems from treating the male body and experience as the default human standard. The result is a built environment that is often uncomfortable, inefficient, or even dangerous for women.

Overlooked differences. Examples of male-biased design include:

• PPE and tools sized for male bodies, putting women at risk in workplaces
• VR headsets that don't fit women's heads or accommodate long hair
• Voice recognition software that struggles with female voices
• Musical instruments like pianos designed for larger male hands
• Urban spaces that prioritize car travel over pedestrian safety

3. Women's unpaid work is undervalued and invisible

There is no such thing as a woman who doesn't work. There is only a woman who isn't paid for her work.

The invisible workforce. Women globally perform 75% of unpaid care work, including childcare, elder care, and household tasks. This work, essential to the functioning of society and the economy, is not captured in traditional economic measures like GDP. The failure to recognize and value this work perpetuates gender inequality and skews policy decisions.

Economic impact. The invisibility of women's unpaid work has significant consequences:

• Underestimation of women's total work hours and contribution to the economy
• Policies that ignore the "second shift" many women work at home
• Retirement systems that penalize women for time spent on unpaid care
• Economic development initiatives that fail because they don't account for women's existing workload
• Disaster relief efforts that overlook women's needs and responsibilities

4. Gender biases in medical research endanger women's health

We class the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries as 'the Renaissance' even though, as social psychologist Carol Tavris points out in her 1991 book The Mismeasure of Woman, it wasn't a renaissance for women, who were still largely excluded from intellectual and artistic life.

Male as default. Medical research has long treated the male body as the default human body, leading to a dangerous lack of knowledge about female physiology and health. This bias manifests in various ways, from using predominantly male subjects in drug trials to failing to research female-specific health issues. The result is a healthcare system that often misdiagnoses or inadequately treats women.

Health disparities. The gender bias in medical research leads to:

• Drugs and treatments tested primarily on men, with unknown effects on women
• Misdiagnosis of heart attacks in women due to "atypical" symptoms
• Lack of understanding of how diseases affect women differently
• Insufficient research on conditions that primarily affect women, like endometriosis
• Medical devices and equipment designed for male bodies
• Dismissal of women's pain and symptoms as "all in their head"

5. The myth of meritocracy perpetuates gender inequality

The myth of meritocracy survives in the face of such statistics is testament to the power of the male default: in the same way that men picture a man 80% of the time they think of a 'person', it's possible that many men in the tech industry simply don't notice how male-dominated it is.

Biased systems. The belief that success is based solely on merit ignores the systemic biases and structural inequalities that disadvantage women. This myth is particularly prevalent in male-dominated fields like technology and finance, where the idea of a "level playing field" is used to justify the lack of diversity.

Hidden barriers. The myth of meritocracy obscures numerous obstacles women face:

• Unconscious bias in hiring and promotion decisions
• Lack of female role models and mentors in leadership positions
• Work cultures that penalize women for traits rewarded in men (e.g., assertiveness)
• The "motherhood penalty" and assumptions about women's career priorities
• Unequal distribution of unpaid work at home, limiting women's career advancement
• Male-centric networking and social norms that exclude women

6. Female politicians face unique challenges and barriers

More than one in five female parliamentarians surveyed by the IPU had been 'subjected to one or more acts of sexual violence', while a third had witnessed sexual violence being committed against a female colleague.

Systemic obstacles. Women in politics face a range of gender-specific challenges that their male counterparts do not. These barriers stem from deep-seated societal biases and structural inequalities. Despite progress in female representation, politics remains a male-dominated field where women must navigate unique hurdles.

Persistent challenges. Female politicians contend with:

• Higher levels of scrutiny and criticism, often focused on appearance and personal life
• Sexual harassment and threats of violence
• Difficulty being taken seriously on traditionally "male" issues like defense or finance
• Balancing family responsibilities with the demands of political life
• Media bias in coverage and portrayal
• Exclusion from informal power networks and decision-making circles
• The need to be "twice as good" to be considered equal to male colleagues

7. Disaster relief often overlooks women's specific needs

The impact of taxation on women is 'an underdeveloped area of research' according to a 2017 report from the European Parliament, which called for more sex-disaggregated data on the issue.

Gender-blind response. In the chaos of natural disasters and conflicts, women's specific needs are often overlooked in relief efforts. This oversight stems from a lack of gender-disaggregated data and the assumption that disaster impacts all people equally. In reality, women face unique challenges and vulnerabilities in crisis situations.

Overlooked issues. Disaster relief efforts frequently fail to address:

• Women's increased vulnerability to sexual violence in displacement camps
• The need for privacy and safety in sanitation facilities
• Women's role as primary caregivers for children and the elderly
• Menstrual hygiene needs and reproductive health services
• Women's limited mobility due to cultural norms or childcare responsibilities
• The disruption of informal support networks that women rely on
• Women's economic vulnerability and loss of livelihood

8. Closing the gender data gap benefits everyone

When we exclude half of humanity from the production of knowledge we lose out on potentially transformative insights.

Universal gains. Addressing the gender data gap is not just about fairness for women; it leads to better outcomes for everyone. When we design products, systems, and policies that work for women, we often create solutions that benefit all of society. Inclusive design and comprehensive data collection lead to more effective and efficient solutions across all domains.

Broad impacts. Closing the gender data gap can lead to:

• Safer cars and urban spaces for everyone
• More effective medical treatments and health interventions
• Improved disaster response that saves more lives
• More efficient and user-friendly products and technologies
• Economic policies that better reflect and support all types of work
• More inclusive and representative political systems
• Innovation driven by diverse perspectives and experiences
• A more accurate understanding of human society and behavior

Last updated: January 22, 2025