Gender Economic

Today, I listened to a podcast that introduced an interesting concept I hadn’t heard before—gender economics. We all know that, no matter how advanced society becomes, gender bias still exists. The podcast shared an intriguing experiment where musicians of different genders played for a panel of judges. When a curtain was placed between the musicians and the judges, 60% more women were selected. This highlights how bias can influence decisions when gender is visible.

Governments and companies encourage the hiring of more women, yet the reality is that fewer women, especially those of childbearing age or those who may get married, are employed. The podcast also featured an economic professor who discussed China’s low birth rates, attributing it to the high cost of living. However, the guest pointed out that this perspective, coming from a male professor, overlooked other important factors. From a woman’s point of view, the decision to have children often comes with a significant opportunity cost—many women fear losing their careers and life opportunities, which can lead to becoming a housewife. The sacrifices for women in these situations are huge.

The guest, a female economist, has written a book on gender economics from a woman’s perspective, which makes it stand out. She mentioned that women often have more choices than men, such as marrying someone and becoming financially dependent. However, this path can also cause many women to lose their freedom and control over their own lives. While there’s no right or wrong choice, sometimes choosing the easier option might seem appealing in the short term, but can have negative consequences in the long run. Data also shows that successful women in business or politics have a higher divorce rate, while men with successful careers tend to have a lower divorce rate. The guest emphasised that women who aspire to be successful in their careers need to be especially careful in choosing a supportive partner.

On a personal note, I edited my first podcast and was about to upload it, but it’s still under review. Hopefully, I’ll be able to upload it tomorrow.