Although discrimination is often discussed as something that happens to women or people of varied skin colors, there is rarely an emphasis on the fact that men may face discrimination based on their gender. While it’s less common to see men discriminated against for their gender, it is possible.
Discrimination occurs when a man earns less for doing the same job as a woman, is treated as if he is not competent due to being male, gets less support from supervisors or an employer than women employees or is passed over for assignments because of his gender. While this situation occurs much more often for women, it is possible for men to face discrimination, too.
What are some examples of male gender discrimination?
The gender discrimination that men may face could include situations like the following.
- In a largely female workplace, a man continues to have colleagues make comments about “males” being incompetent and not being able to do the job. This regularly leads to the male workers being passed up for promotions despite having more experience than their coworkers.
- A female worker broke her arm and was given minor assignments until she was healed enough to work. When a male worker was injured, they were told to continue working through the pain because men are supposed to be tough.
These are two examples of what could constitute discrimination against a man. There are some toxic ideas about what men could and should be able to do at work, so it’s not surprising that some men face discrimination.
What should you do if you feel you’re a victim of discrimination?
If you believe that you are a victim of workplace discrimination, you have rights. Whether you’re a man, woman or identify in another way, it is your right to be treated with respect in the workplace. If you are being discriminated against, such as if you aren’t promoted because you’re male, then it’s important to gather evidence of this gender discrimination. You can take action to hold your employer accountable for the hostile work environment that you have had to put up with.