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'Women don't need to be fixed': Researcher points to systemic issue for cause of gender inequality

"Women are the problem"—this unspoken narrative has been circulating in the world of work for decades. Countless initiatives and programs are designed to make women "fit" for a career. But what if the problem isn't the women, but the system?

With this in mind, Professor Anja Danner-Schröder calls for entrenched structures and ingrained habits to be changed instead. To this end, she has analyzed the podcast "The Fix," which addresses gender inequality in the workplace. Together with two research colleagues, she examined the episodes from a practice theory perspective and her findings in the journal Organization Studies.

For two decades, the issue of gender (in)equality has been receiving increasing attention—both in academic circles and in public initiatives. "Often, attempts are made to make women 'fit' for the professional world," explains Danner-Schröder, head of the Management Studies department at RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau.

"They are encouraged to become more self-confident, market themselves better, and even plan their births strategically to meet the demands of the labor market. But that's exactly where the problem lies: these initiatives assume that women need to be 'fixed,' instead of questioning the system."

Gender inequality is not an inevitable reality but rather a pattern of behavior that is sustained through collective and repeated actions. This is where we need to start: "We must finally break with and change the everyday actions that perpetuate inequality, and that requires work and courage from everyone involved," explains the scientist.

Dismantling established narratives

The podcast The Fix, hosted by Michelle Penelope King and analyzed in the study, takes a step further. In conversations with researchers, politicians, actresses, founders, and executives, King challenges the narrative that gender inequality can be resolved by "fixing" women. Instead, she shifts the focus to how the system needs to change in order to achieve true equality.

Through more than 200 episodes, The Fix demonstrates how deeply rooted structures and everyday practices contribute to the reproduction of inequality. For example, in the airline industry, the proportion of female pilots is only five percent because inflexible work schedules slow down women with caregiving responsibilities. In companies, women, despite their best efforts, still feel they must try to "be one of the guys."

Another example of systemic inequality is that women and marginalized groups often adapt their behavior to avoid being stereotyped. They try to "make everyone feel good about their success" or "not unsettle others with their authority." These micro-adjustments accumulate into a stressful everyday life.

"In research, this is described as 'death by a million cuts,'" says Danner-Schröder, "an emblem of how many small disadvantages can have a large impact."

The podcast also shows how things can work differently: the example of Iceland, where paternity leave is the norm and parenting is seen as a cross-gender task, illustrates what systemic change can look like. Another example from the podcast shows that alliances with male colleagues can be important. Instead of merely standing by when women face discrimination at work, male colleagues can already achieve a lot by taking small actions, such as addressing problematic comments.

The path to success runs through the system

In other words, gender equality cannot be the sole responsibility of women. It requires the involvement of all actors who shape and determine the systems in the workplace. "We argue that there needs to be a shift in our understanding of what gender inequality is. It is equally important to gain a deeper understanding of what gender inequality does and how it operates. A practice-based perspective is needed that focuses on everyday actions," says Danner-Schröder.

In her view, this process of system correction requires not only questioning and changing one's own actions but also taking a stand and raising awareness by questioning visible and hidden practices, establishing new practices, and developing them further. Ultimately, it is the systemic approach that brings sustainable success. Those who have the courage to challenge established patterns not only open themselves up to new opportunities but also create an environment in which all participants can achieve long-term success.