“The man goes to work and the woman takes care of it care for the child. That’s the job, both genders have to fulfill.”
This statement is not from a 17th century or 1960 book when the Gender hierarchy was still anchored in law: the husband as the ruler, the wife as the servant without rights, not a trace of equality. But the Poll is from today. Written by a young man in his 30s. Equal rights for women and men and in the couple relationship? Fair chances for both? freedom of choice? Not a trace. But a traditional role model that narrows both. 2023
What’s going on there?
Isn’t it always said that women have long been equal, independent and free to decide how they want to live? The young man’s statement proves the opposite.
And it gets even worse.
Survey of people under 35
Plan International conducted an online survey of 1,000 men and 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 35 on the subject of masculinity in March 2023. Plan is not a research institute. You may know Plan International from calls for donations for girls and boys in developing countries. Plan focuses in particular on girls in order to improve their chances of leading a self-determined life. Plan calls itself a humanitarian aid organization. It is therefore logical for Plan to deal with the social construct of “masculinity” and equal rights for women.
Survey title: Tension of masculinity. This is how young men between the ages of 18 and 35 tick in Germany.
According to Plan, it does not want to criticize individual men. The organization wants to investigate which roles men see for themselves, which behavior patterns and characteristics result from this and what consequences this has – for men, young women and society.
The publication has 28 pages and the results it contains are sometimes frightening.
The patriarchal spirit lives on
The results paint a picture of young men stuck in the spirit of the 1950s and very far from gender equality. Those who want a housewife’s marriage, who prefer to make their own decisions, who don’t want to be active fathers, who see violence as a legitimate means in a partnership, who want dependent women and feel encouraged by women to tease and bully them. This thinking is toxic.