March is Women’s History Month and March 8th is International Women’s Day. In honor of these important celebrations, we want to take some time to discuss how societal biases faced by women are still impacting their wellbeing.
1 – Women Are Less Capable of Performing Certain Tasks
This is the, “It’s okay. You’re a girl. I’m sure you did your best,” mentality. This sort of thinking that women are only capable up to a point or that they’re not cut out for specific tasks (like doing math or being leaders) has held women back for centuries. Some industries are taking strides to become more welcoming to women, but it’s still more difficult for women to be successful in some career and academic fields.
2 – Women Should Be Humble
Even when women achieve great things, they’re not supposed to talk about it. They’re supposed to be humble and modest. This one may seem like it’s harmless, but actually, feeling uncomfortable sharing your accomplishments or feeling pride in your abilities can keep women from achieving the same level of success as their male counterparts.
3 – It’s Hard to Work for Women
Women are often thought to be difficult to work for. Women in authority may be criticized for either being pushovers, or if they have high expectations of employees, they’re too assertive or controlling. Just like men, women bring a range of management experience and different approaches when they’re in positions of power, but the preconceptions about women by their employees can make it more difficult for women to perform well at higher levels.
4 – Women Want to Spend More Time with Their Families
There’s nothing wrong with spending more time with families, and many men also want more time to spend with their loved ones. However, this perception that women are more likely to prioritize their family over work or educational commitments can put women at a disadvantage in achieving their career or academic goals.
5 – Competition Trumps Cooperation
This is the, “If you’re not first you’re last,” mentality. Women often feel pressured to strive to be the absolute best or achieve complete perfection in all that they do. If they’re not able to be perfect, none of their efforts matter. In some cases, this competitive drive ends up causing women to feel like they need to appear perfect and never ask for help, which can overshadow necessary cooperation with peers and networking opportunities that could help women get ahead. Not to mention all the unnecessary stress this level of perfectionism puts on women.
How Bias Impacts Wellbeing
Whether bias is preventing women from feeling confident enough to ask for that well deserved raise at work or causing them to accept relationships that aren’t fulfilling, societal biases can negatively impact women in a multitude of ways. If you’re a woman who’s interested in diving a little deeper into the way that bias is impacting your personal, professional, or academic life as well as emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing, one of our therapists would be happy to dive deeper with you. To get started, take a few moments to fill out our online contact form, call (952) 652-3439, or email info@behavioralhealthalliance.org.