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Women in Male-Dominated Professions: Challenges and Insights

User Profile: Mya000
Mya000 October 7th, 2023

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. Today, we're diving into a topic that has been suggested by one of our community members: working in male-dominated or traditionally male-centric fields. It's a subject that many of us can relate to, and it's essential to share our experiences and insights to foster understanding and change.

Key Facts to Consider:

Before we begin sharing our stories and insights, let's take a moment to acknowledge some eye-opening statistics:

  • Women make up only 5% of those currently working in the skilled trades in Canada.
  • Just 8% of working women in Europe are in male-dominated industries.
  • Only 6.5% of women working full-time in the United States worked in male-dominated industries in 2020.
  • Women have seen recent gains in employment in male-dominated fields in the US, with notable increases in construction and transportation jobs.

Challenges Persist:

Despite these gains, several challenges persist:

  • Globally, women's share of leadership roles has increased, but this growth has primarily occurred in industries already dominated by women.
  • Reports of sexual harassment are more common for women in male-dominated industries, with statistics painting a troubling picture of inappropriate behaviour.
  • Stereotypes, imposter syndrome, and a lack of mentoring opportunities continue to hinder women's progress in these fields.
  • Occupational segregation remains a significant contributor to the gender wage gap, with women disproportionately concentrated in lower-paying roles.

Let's Discuss:

Now, I'd love to hear your experiences and insights on this topic. Here are some questions to get the conversation started:

  1. What is your profession, and how did you choose it?
  2. What challenges have you faced while working in this field?
  3. Do you have any advice or strategies for overcoming or coping with these challenges?
  4. Have you witnessed positive changes or initiatives that promote equality in your industry?

Your insights are invaluable, and by sharing our experiences, we can support and empower each other in navigating and thriving in male-dominated fields. For more in-depth information and research on this topic, I encourage you to explore the source provided here: Women in Male-Dominated Industries and Occupations. Have a wonderful day, and I look forward to reading your contributions!

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User Profile: Mya000
Mya000 OP October 7th, 2023
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User Profile: Jaeteuk
Jaeteuk October 9th, 2023

Luckily, my profession seems to be female-dominated. Working in the operating room as an Aide, with colleagues of nurses, surgeons and anesthesiologists; the majority of the staff are female. We only have 2 male nurses in the department. For surgeons and anesthesiologists are split female-male. 

So, it's not exactly challenges between female-male staff, it's mainly conflict between colleagues of female-female.. As we all know, us, female, are more emotional-based. So, when we aren't able to control our emotions, it affects the people around us. 

@Mya000

3 replies
User Profile: Mya000
Mya000 OP October 9th, 2023

@Jaeteuk Thank you for sharing your perspective on your workplace. It's great to hear about the diverse mix of healthcare professionals in your department.


In the realm of psychology and emotional regulation, it's important to note that emotional expression and control can vary widely among individuals, regardless of their sex. It's not accurate to generalize that females are more emotional-based or less able to control their emotions compared to males. Emotions are a complex and individual experience.

In any workplace, effective communication and conflict resolution skills are essential, and they can benefit everyone, regardless of their sex. It's always valuable to promote a positive and supportive working environment for all colleagues.

Thank you again for sharing your insights, have a nice day!
2 replies
User Profile: Jaeteuk
Jaeteuk October 9th, 2023

Yes, my bad.. I'm not implying that males don't have emotions.. I think what I was trying to say is that females tend to show it more on the surface.. so that when it is out of their control, their emotional state will affect those around them.

@Mya000

1 reply
User Profile: Mya000
Mya000 OP October 9th, 2023

@Jaeteuk No worries at all! I appreciate your clarification. I  understood that you weren't saying that men don't have emotions. It's a complex topic, but the way we express our emotions does depend, in part, on our upbringing, which is influenced by sexism. However, I believe the idea that women show their emotions more and affect those around them with it is incorrect. For example, we can easily observe many men expressing their anger in public and significantly affecting those around them with it. In these cases, we don't say that men are too emotional, as we sometimes do with women.

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User Profile: cafedaydreams
cafedaydreams October 11th, 2023
I have a lot of thoughts on this so it's going to be quite long. Apologies in advance!

What is your profession, and how did you choose it?

I am currently a wildlife biologist for a national conservation non-profit. I've always known that I wanted to work in the wildlife field despite it traditionally being a male-only thing, and have worked seasonal wildlife gigs to gather experience for larger roles. 

What challenges have you faced while working in this field?

Luckily I haven't had to deal with too many of the things that I'm about to describe, but feel like it's important to still bring up. Although women in the wildlife and conservation profession seem to be rising and even sometimes surpassing men in terms of earning degrees in this field, there still seems to be a gap in the number of men in management/higher paying roles than women. You are still more likely to find male rather than female wildlife and park managers, for instance. 

There's also an issue when it comes to applying to wildlife jobs. Everyone knows that discrimination based on gender is illegal, especially when it comes to recruiters looking at job applications. But let's be real, you can't REALLY know with absolute certainty whether the recruiter is being sexist or not based on preconceived notions that women "are weaker" or "can't handle" strenuous outdoor fieldwork. You just have to hope that they're being impartial and are looking solely at qualifications. 

Additionally, I've heard stories of female researchers being harassed by their male colleagues. I've heard of their male colleagues taking credit for work they have done. I've heard stories of their male professors blackmailing them. There was a whole article written about this issue happening among shark researchers. The article did mention that they were extreme examples only, but the fact that it's still happening at all is worth taking note of. 

This isn't directly related to the wildlife profession in itself, but one HUGE struggle that I personally am affected by is the lack of outdoor gear in women's sizes. Whenever I walk into a Cabella's (a large chain outdoor store for those who don't know), I see two to three walls of work boots in men's sizes. Women only get one half of a wall in their sizes. They don't make waders in women's sizes (not a big deal for me, but I've heard of really petite ladies who struggle with this). If I need a good pair of work socks I have to go to the men's section in department stores because the only socks available for women are the regular cotton ones, and the ultra thin ankle socks that are completely useless out in the field. 

I have been very lucky in that I am taken seriously as a worker in the wildlife jobs I've had thus far. However I have had a few experiences outside the wildlife field, but still in "traditionally male" role. I used to work at a hardware store in the garden/stone department. There was one incident that I strongly remember. One of my responsibilities is to help load building materials such as wood onto carts for customers and into their cars. One man needed help with loading, and when I approached him, he sneered at me and said "Oh, YOU'RE my help?"  Maybe he was only looking at the fact that I am kind of short, I dunno. Like, I didn't want to believe it was due to sexism but...🧐 

Also, in college I do remember being in certain wildlife classes where the men just wouldn't talk to me, so there's that...I mean I'm not really bothered by it now, thankfully (I kind of chuckle about it, actually).

Do you have any advice or strategies for overcoming or coping with these challenges?

In terms of changing viewpoints, that's something that will only happen over time. Women have come a long way of proving themselves worthy to be in the wildlife profession, and it does make me happy to see more women going on to be wildlife biologists and researchers. We just have to keep showing up and doing what we do. We have just as much right to be outside researching the natural world as men do. :) 

1 reply
User Profile: Mya000
Mya000 OP October 11th, 2023

@cafedaydreams Thank you very much for sharing your experience and thoughts as a wildlife biologist. It's great to hear that you've been fortunate in being taken seriously in your wildlife jobs. It's also heartening to see your optimism about women's progress in the field.

Your insights highlight the pervasive impact of sexism on women's professional lives, affecting every aspect such as recruitment, wage disparities, access to high-level positions, and even the availability of suitable professional equipment. It's essential to raise awareness about these issues to create a more equitable environment for all of us.

Thank you for sharing your perspective, and I wish you continued success in your wildlife biology career. Have a nice day! 

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