The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Not Gender Neutral
The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Been Called A Great Equalizer: Here’s Why That’s Not True
By Asmita Ram
More than a year into this global crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the entire globe by storm, destroying and revolutionizing every possible aspect of human life in its path. The virus has claimed many lives, and infected people are still battling its consequences. Nations are struggling to provide for their own citizens as their economies crumble and healthcare systems weaken. Our social lives have also been affected due to lack of contact and physical gatherings as protracted quarantine and lockdown measures were implemented. Anxiety and stress, the most prevalent psychological issues, have elevated and given rise to depressive, self-harming, and suicidal situations in the most extreme cases. However, the concern now is this: has the pandemic affected men and women equally? Have women’s lives been affected more drastically in any manner due to the pandemic, and if so, how?
The Pandemic Is Not Gender Neutral
There is a vast difference when it comes to gender privilege, and questions arise whether male and female are given equal opportunities. The past decade has seen the gender pay gap stagnate at 16% with women earning up to 35% less than their male counterparts. This statistic is very disturbing considering that nearly 740 million women are employed in the informal economy but are deprived of perquisite claims such as pension, paid sick leave, and health insurance. The pandemic has also aggravated the current predicament of women living in marginalized rural settings as they struggle to procure quality maternal and reproductive healthcare, sanitary products, and vaccinations.
Women also make up as much as 85% of front-line health workers. These workers are more vulnerable due to their exposure to the virus, and the situation is exacerbated if there is a lack of proper PPE, which includes items such as heavy-duty face masks and protective attire. As a result, this pandemic has definitely taken a toll on female medical workers.
Additionally, the panic-buying of pantry staples and sanitary items early in the pandemic caused havoc as soon as nations imposed lockdown measures. This caused inflation on the prices of these essential goods, making them no longer affordable for low and some middle class families. It becomes even more problematic when the breadwinner is a single working mother with no other means of support. Additionally, in families where a man generates the bulk of the family’s revenue, his health is of utmost importance in order for the family to get the money that they need. When the pandemic threatens the health of these primary providers, the livelihoods of the women in the household are impacted in ways that they have never anticipated before.
The COVID-19 Recession Is a She-Cession
“We should go ahead and call this a ‘shecession.’” — C. Nicole Mason, president and chief executive of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
In the throes of COVID-19, industries with high female employment, like travel, leisure, and hospitality, fared worse in comparison to male-dominated industries such as manufacturing and construction. Statistically, women accounted for 60% of the 700,000 people laid off in March 2020, as well as 55% of the 20.5 million jobs lost in April 2020. This current recession on employed women will have far greater long term effects as it will not only affect their future earning opportunities, but also elevate the gender pay gap. Overall, this impedes the struggle for gender equality.
The Re-Enactment Of Social Norms
Perhaps, the most substantial issue arising from COVID-19 for women is the rise in need for the undervalued and unpaid care and domestic work that female family members perform in their own households. As schools all over the world shut down in response to the pandemic, the workloads and expectations from these women also increases. Looking after young and energetic kids is a tiresome job that requires a great amount of patience, care, and ceaseless attention. There may even be an elderly person or ill family member to care for in the household. As a result, one parent may have to quit their job to stay home and perform care duties, and due to pre-existenting gender role expectations, women are predominantly the ones stepping down.
Many Women Are Trapped In Their Homes With Their Abusers
The pandemic has also heightened domestic and intimate violence against women due to exacerbating economic, social, and health conditions. During these trying times, women have fewer people to seek support from and fewer professional services to get assistance from, such as supportive homes, judicial support, police, and health institutions. These establishments have either shifted their priorities or become too overwhelmed to provide sufficient help. Statistically, this pandemic has seen a surge from 30–60% on the amount of calls for help received by supporting units.
Girls Too, Are Facing The Brunt Of The Pandemic
It is remarkably evident that girls are also facing the repercussions of this outbreak. Due to school closures, girls and boys alike are at a disadvantage of receiving timely formal education. In many cases, girls are unable to complete their education because of increased pressure on them to perform domestic work at home. Also, due to distance education, girls in low-earning families suffer as they are not able to afford electronic devices, which are necessities in this era of online education.
We are social distancing to protect each other and stop the spread of COVID-19 in this time of unprecedented catastrophe. Despite the need for all of us to work together to eliminate the vicious effects of the pandemic, a new battle for gender equality has arisen. As the need to survive increases day by day, so does the ratio of inequality between gender roles and expectations.
