THE ESSENTIAL GENDERED LENS
Gill Matthewson & Nicole Kalms (XYX Labs) // Melbourne
Changing gender structure post pandemic
A post-pandemic world offers the potential for positive change to the gendered structure of our societies. While women* are over-represented in those who have been and will be adversely affected by COVID-19, they are poorly represented in the decision-making processes. The risk is that the politics of COVID-19 disregard the needs and desires of women. Governments and policy-makers may be intently focused on immediate issues with a gender-neutral approach; however, every decision impacts social and gender equity. Gender-neutrality in a pandemic results in various forms of discrimination against women. When decisions are being made in the practical and ideological battleground of COVID-19, a wide range of women – both women experts and women with lived experience – need to be in the room.
One way forward is that all measures are evaluated against the United Nations Sustainability Goals. Thrashed out and agreed upon in 2015 – well before this pandemic – the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a sound blueprint for planning for a future that is sustainable and equitable. Goal number five, “!Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, of the seventeen goals, states that gender equality is “not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world” and includes goals to end discrimination against women and girls, eliminate violence against women in public and private spheres, recognizing the value of unpaid domestic work, ensuring equal access to reproductive health and reproductive rights, and undertaking reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources. The document presents instructive opportunities – whether in a domestic or international context – to increase awareness of the gender inequity, to continue to demand actions that address violence against women and to examine attitudes and practices that create barriers for women’s participation in public life.
During times of crisis, ‘gender-neutral’ approaches to decision making undermine the progress towards gender equality and fail to acknowledge the marked differences in how a crisis affects men and women. In the COVID-19 crisis, women in the workforce face specific challenges. Two-thirds of the health profession worldwide are female and therefore most exposed; most specialised caregivers, such as aged-care workers are women who will be overworked during this time despite their low pay; other carers – like expert childcare providers – will lose work. All women who are on the whole are paid less than men (and so have less resources to deal with the economic fallout) will face poverty and the economic precarity compounded by the effects of the disease.
On the domestic front, women are often expected to take on roles within the home in addition to their paid work, so the closure of childcare facilities and schools impacts women considerably more than men. When isolated at home, women face increased exposure to domestic violence, with stress and financial worries amplifying the triggers for domestic abuse. For single parents – a very high proportion of whom are women – the impact of isolation is severe with dire consequences for mental health and wellbeing. Women’s access to reproductive healthcare is fundamentally compromised with access to medical and surgical abortion limited and contraception often scarce. In a health crisis, funding and resources priorities pivot for the pandemic, resulting in greater health risks for women and the children they care for.
Despite these gloomy scenarios, in practical terms, there are a number of developments that – if embraced – could positively impact women’s daily lives. The pivot to flexible working enabled by technology is likely to become embedded, which will favour women’s employment. We have all (thankfully) been reminded of the importance of individuals in caring professions: nurses, teachers, caregivers, etc., which offers the opportunity and incentive to lift their remuneration long term to level commensurate with their value to society, positively affecting the earning potential for the mostly female workers in these fields. Home isolation may have required more men to take greater responsibility for childcare and if this continues into the future, it could permanently shift the balance of domestic care in favour of women who have typically done the heavy lifting. Similarly, the pandemic offers an opportunity to focus on systemic changes outside of the home. It is a moment to foreground how gender and gender bias structure cities and society. And vice versa: how our cities and society harbour and foster outdated concepts of gender and gender bias.
We must remember that in every country, to varying degrees, women are not equal to men in rights and dignity. Women therefore have reduced access to education, employment, economic independence, and social support networks. Because of this, when a pandemic, or any crisis hits, women will be disproportionately impacted. Although, in this particular instance, men may be more vulnerable to dying from COVID-19, it is women who, with less access to resources, suffer the most under crisis conditions. Applying a gendered-lens to all policy and decision making is the way to move us all forward.
The application of a gender-lens in policy and the inclusion of women experts and women with lived experiences in all decision-making processes allows society to push back against recurring gender stereotypes, familiar but failed solutions, and oppressive civic systems. By inviting experts to work alongside women, girls and gender diverse people – and by including a gender-sensitive lens – a collective (re)imagining of cities – one that is more inclusive and supportive of women and their contributions can emerge.
Notes:
The Monash University XYX Lab recognise that the term women represents enormous diversity. Women can be defined by their cultural background, socioeconomic status, where they live, their sexuality, dis/ability and age. As such, to design for women is to be inclusive of all women and girls, including cis-women, trans-women and intersex women. While there is less data and research that focuses on the diverse needs of women, we recognize that consideration and sensitivity need to be applied when understanding the needs of gender-diverse people in cities.
Author Bios:
Dr Gill Matthewson is a founding member of the XYX Lab at Monash University. For many years she has been investigating the gendered substructure of the architecture profession, particularly as it manifests in the weakening participation of women. More recently, her research focus has been the impact of the gendering of space on how sex, gender and sexuality may limit who and what contributes to the production of, and participation in, the spatial culture of cities.
Dr Nicole Kalms is the founding Director of Monash University’s XYX Lab, which leads national research in urban space and gender. As director, Dr Kalms is investigating significant research projects which examine sexual violence in urban space. She is currently working on several major research projects with the aim of providing authorities with information that can enable a change to the way urban areas are planned and designed.
XYX Lab is a team of experienced design researchers exploring gender-sensitive design practices and theory. Our work operates at the intersection of gender, identity, urban space and advocacy. Through our research, we bring together planners, policy makers, local government and stakeholders to make tangible the experiences of underrepresented communities in urban space and planning. XYX Lab is grounded in feminist and queer theory and activated through real-world projects. Equal parts qualitative and quantitative research, we regularly work to collect and analyse data and experiences in order to generate deeper understanding and support our design projects. Our approach is inclusive of all gender and sexual identities. Building equity into urban life requires long-term vision and a strategic - often radical - approach to the design process. We do not seek quick-fix design solutions, but rather seek to offer insights and create moments that contribute towards a larger movement for change.