While women who try to enter so-called masculine professions still face numerous obstacles, men working in feminized professions are doing well. In Stand out from women (La Documentation française, 2023), sociology researcher Alice Olivier was interested in the trajectories of young men who studied midwifery and social service assistants – almost exclusively female – and the preferential treatment that is granted to them.
Are the expectations placed on men and women the same, in the highly feminized sectors that you have studied?
When it comes to the heart of the profession, in particular the work of care and attention towards the people we support, the same thing is expected of women and men. But in our society where gender norms and inequalities are still marked, we also often think that they do not have the same intrinsic qualities, and that men can contribute something ” in addition “ in these highly feminized sectors.
Thus, professional teams often welcome the entry of men into training. They consider that they bring, as if innately, composure, physical strength, humor, that they have interesting topics of conversation, that they are more technical, more rational and scientific. And men also often put themselves forward on these dimensions.
These projections help to promote them during the internship. Moreover, as there are very few of them, they are quickly spotted there. In overcrowded services like midwives, being highly visible gives more room to show off skills and learn. Often, they are also more easily forgiven for their mistakes. We consider that men are “less academic” but that they have qualities of finesse, for example, and there is a form of benevolence towards them. This helps to give them self-confidence.
How does the emphasis that men benefit from promote their careers?
Men in so-called “feminine” professions rise more quickly in the hierarchy, gain more exposure, experience less part-time work or unemployment. In my study, I was able to see the roots of these mechanisms from the training period. For example, men often take on representational roles, such as those of delegate, student association president or class spokesperson, even when the class is made up almost exclusively of women. These positions allow them to strengthen leadership, negotiation and public speaking skills. They also easily find internships, and are often popular within their class.
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