Traditionally, men have been thought of as being the protectors and main providers for their families and, therefore, if they spent more time at the office, networking, or even time pursuing an education they were valued for their drive and praised for their successes outside the home. Men are commonly referred to as “good providers” when their worth is being summed up. Women are more likely to be praised for being good wives.

Men are often expected to be aggressive in business—to be go-getters and are not highly criticized for putting work ahead of family because, in the end, they are serving their families by ensuring their needs are met by a decent income. Women are assumed to be more docile and less effective in business—something statistics show is anything but true.

The Price of Success

When women strive to achieve success, they are often reminded that the price of working or studying late comes at the expense of their spouses, children, and friends, and even at their own personal expense. Have you ever been told you will regret a career now because you are missing out on your children’s young lives?

The bottom line is that in most societies around the world, men are given slack that women are not afforded when it comes to the should play in life. And when “he” has it all, it is a noble thing, when “she” has it all the woman may be questioned about her values and priorities in life. And there’s the motherhood penalty to consider. 

Gender Differences

Men are generally better at asserting and expressing their needs. Biology, nature, and society better prepare boys to enter adulthood as leaders than is true for girls. Girls are given dolls to play with and may be discouraged from pursuing math and science fields, and certainly, few could argue that women have a tougher time getting ahead in the corporate world than most men do. Being aggressive can be a great quality when it is tempered with maturity; being aggressive in the right ways can help most of us get more out of life—but many women are often timid about asking to have their own needs met.

Men may be more likely to take a day off to golf, sleep in, watch sports, or go to the gym than women are because when a woman makes a demand, she may be seen as bossy, whiny, or as a selfish mother or wife. Minority women are often as being single moms. And, the truth is, that more single moms are minorities, but this has far more to do with societal and economic limitations that are often based on discrimination and fewer opportunities than being a minority. Unfortunately for any minority—male or female, inequality exists work harder, get paid less because you are a minority. When it comes to income, dollar-for-dollar make less than the rest of society.