What is Gender Bias and what is it's impact?
What is gender bias and what is it's impact?
Gender bias happens when people are treated unfairly just because of their gender. This unfair treatment contributes to unequal and unjust societies. Gender bias is one of the main causes of gender inequality, and it affects millions of people around the world — especially women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals. It can block access to education, jobs, healthcare, and safety. Even though some progress has been made, true gender equality is still far from reality.
What is gender bias
Gender bias is when a person is treated more favourably, or discriminated against, because of their gender. It is based on stereotypes and even prejudice. Addressing it is essential for creating a fairer and inclusive world.
How it affects girls and women from an early age
Gender bias starts early and can shape the way girls grow up. It’s seen in schools, in families, and in the media. These early messages affect how girls see themselves and what they believe they can do.
A common example is in education. Studies show teachers sometimes favour boys in subjects like maths and science. Boys may be praised more or given more attention, while girls might be encouraged in arts and writing. This can lower girls’ confidence in science and maths, even if they’re good at them.
Conscious and unconscious bias in everyday life
There are many examples of conscious and unconscious bias in everyday life. Here are some specific examples.
Conscious bias (this is when it is deliberate)
- When a woman is asked in a job interview how she will manage her workload with her childcaring duties or whether she is planning to have children
- A father won’t change his baby’s nappy because ‘it’s a mother’s job’
- Girls have a stricter dress or appearance code than boys at school, when it comes to their hairstyles and the length of their skirts.
Unconscious bias (this is when someone is unaware of their bias)
- Assuming that a doctor is a man and a nurse is a woman
- Buying a gift for a girl and automatically choosing a doll
- Asking the only woman in a meeting to take notes or get coffee
Why gender bias matters
Gender bias matters because it holds people back — especially girls and women. It limits what they can become and how far they can go. Gender bias shapes what we expect from people and tells them how they should act based on gender. Breaking these biases helps make society fairer and more equal.
Early messages about roles and expectations
Girls are often described as ‘sweet’, ‘pretty’, ‘kind’ whereas boys are described as ‘strong’, ‘wilful’ or ‘brave’. This type of language not only reinforces stereotypes but shapes children’s confidence and concept of themselves at a young age. Boys learn that they mustn’t cry but ‘be brave’ and girls learn that they mustn’t be bold or speak out but be ‘sweet, kind and nurturing’.
Girls are often rewarded for being quiet and polite, while boys are encouraged to speak up and lead. This tells children early on what society expects from them, which can limit their confidence and choices. This creates a strong message at an early age about what role is expected of them and how they should behave as a boy or a girl.
Unequal access to education and opportunities
Gender bias in education shapes what children learn, how they’re treated, and what opportunities they go on to pursue.
In schools, boys are pushed toward subjects like science and maths. Girls are more likely to be steered toward subjects like art or English. In some countries, girls may have to drop out of school to care for siblings, help around the house, or because they get married young. This limits their future and makes them depend on others for money and support.
When there isn’t a lot of money or resources, families often put a boy’s education above a girl’s. This limits future career opportunities and earning potential for girls.
Long-term effects on confidence, careers and choices
Gender bias can not only influence the career choices of women and girls but also their progression. At school, girls are often discouraged from taking subjects such as science, physics or math and this can limit their career choices and earning potential. If a girl is told that she is not ‘clever enough’ to do a certain subject, this can severely impact on her confidence in herself and her abilities.
Often women face barriers to progression, within the workplace - particularly if they are mothers or carers. They are seen as ‘less committed’ to their employer, whereas fathers are not viewed in this way.
Women earn less than men across most sectors [1]. When it comes to leadership roles, women are underrepresented. In the UK, only around ten out of the 100 FTSE 100 companies have female CEOs. If a woman shows leadership qualities, such as assertiveness or decisiveness, this is often viewed negatively whereas these are positive qualities in men. When girls and women don’t see themselves represented in top senior roles, they are less likely to believe that they can be a leader or a CEO.
Causes of gender bias
The causes of gender bias are deep-rooted and systemic. They are rooted in cultural and societal norms that are reinforced by how gender stereotypes are represented in the media.
Cultural and social norms
Gender bias is caused by cultural and social norms that define roles, behaviours, and expectations based on gender. These norms influence how people are viewed, treated, valued, and even judged. This often means women and girls face more limits — in school, at work, and in daily life. Over time, this becomes seen as normal, even when it’s unfair.
Media representation and gender stereotypes
TV shows, books, and advertisements also shape how we see gender. Women are often shown as caring, pretty, passive or quiet. Men are shown as leaders, heroes, or decision-makers. When young people only see certain genders in certain roles, it affects what they think is possible for themselves.
This shapes and influences how people see themselves and their role in the world — especially when exposed to gender stereotypes at a young age.
The impact of gender bias
Gender bias can limit dreams, reduce confidence, and create unfair systems. It affects education, job options, pay, safety, and who gets to lead. It affects every aspect of our lives. From childhood to education, career choices, pay, and leadership opportunities.
Bias can be obvious or hidden — and both types create problems. Over time, gender bias slows down progress and keeps inequality in place. Its impact is systemic, long-lasting, and slows down progress for both individuals and society.
Barriers in work, leadership and safety
One of the key barriers in work for women is a lack of flexible policies when it comes to support for childcare and parental leave. Another is bias in hiring and promotion. Women are often passed over for promotion in favour of their male co-worker, despite being qualified and competent.
Women may be overlooked for promotions even when they’re qualified. Leadership roles are harder to reach, and women in power are judged more harshly. Often women are judged negatively for being ‘assertive’ when this is seen as a strength in men. A lack of women role models in top jobs means that girls and young women believe that being a leader is impossible for them to achieve.
In terms of safety, women are more likely to face harassment in the workplace than their male colleagues. A fear of not being believed or a lack of ways of reporting such behaviour means that it often goes unreported. In some regions and countries, women work in unsafe environments and lack protection from violence and exploitation.
Unequal societies
Limiting access to education, jobs, and leadership for women and girls helps create an unequal society. Gender bias reinforces stereotypes, restricts choices, and undervalues contributions based on gender. When half the population faces barriers to participating fully in society, this results in slower development, less inclusive decision-making, and deeper social divides. Over time, these imbalances weaken communities, hinder progress, and continue the cycles of poverty and discrimination, making true equality and justice difficult to achieve.
What can be done to tackle gender bias?
There are many ways to fight gender bias — at home, in schools, in the workplace, and through laws and policies. It starts with changing how people think, talk, and act.
Changing attitudes at home and in schools
Changing attitudes at home and in schools, when it comes to gender bias, requires awareness, consistency and being a role model.
At home:
- Offer children toys, books and activities that go against traditional gender roles. For example, boys can help bake cupcakes and girls can play with cars and airplanes
- Share household tasks equally among all genders and break what’s seen as traditional gender chores.
- Encourage children’s interests, no matter what they are — whether it’s a boy wanting to take dance classes or a girl wanting to take up guitar lessons
- Have age-appropriate conversations about stereotypes in the media (what they watch on TV or read in books) and in daily life.
At school:
- Train teachers to recognise unconscious gender bias and offer training in inclusiveness
- Review materials for gender bias and include more examples of diverse role models — particularly women with achievements in science, technology, engineering and medicine.
- Make sure that children are praised, challenged or called upon in class equally
- Encourage all students to be confident and assertive
- Address any sexist comments or behaviour quickly and seriously
- Make school uniform rules fair, allow gender-neutral options, and protect all hairstyles and head coverings
- Improve school careers advice with clear pathways, improved awareness of gendered take-up of jobs, and share.
Policy and law reform
Policy and law reform can play an important role in addressing gender bias. For example, Parental Leave Policies can offer equal, paid leave to both parents for the birth of a child, raising a child, or caring for a relative. Laws to limit zero hours contracts and apply the National Living Wage equally regardless of age can help close the gender pay gap and give everyone a fairer chance in their career.
Supporting girls to lead and speak out
Supporting girls to speak out against gender bias involves building their confidence, creating safe spaces, and giving them the skills and support they need to challenge injustice.
Girls need to know that their opinions matter and that they have a voice. We need to normalise ambition when it comes to girls and women and reinforce that it’s ok to be strong, intelligent, assertive and driven.
Leadership opportunities at school should be encouraged — such as being a project lead or a class representative. Teachers and parents need to teach children to be critical thinkers and to question and challenge gender bias in the media and in daily life. And adults need to speak up when they see bias, showing girls that challenging it is both possible and necessary for change to happen.
Roles of boys and men
By using their power and influence to promote respect, fairness and equality, men and boys play a crucial role in challenging gender bias.
"Before, I didn't know how to talk about my feelings. I thought of myself as the head of the family, with absolute authority," Patrick, a parent volunteer helping dismantle gender stereotypes in Uganda, recalls.
"But then I started to change. Now I do housework and look after my children. I buy my daughters sanitary pads and include them in the family budget."
Teaching boys to challenge bias
Teaching boys to challenge gender bias is a vital step towards a more equal society. Challenge stereotypes when they are young, such as ‘boys don’t cry’ and explain why that is wrong. Point out gender stereotypes in books or TV shows and ask questions, such as ‘why do you think only boys are superheroes in this show?’ This will help them to think critically about gender bias.
Let them know it’s ok to be vulnerable, sad, scared or even to cry — emotion is not a weakness. Teach them to be supportive of others and to be empathetic.
Model equity and respect by letting boys see men doing household chores that are stereotypically a girl or women’s job. Show them men doing jobs like cooking or cleaning, and introduce them to people in non-traditional roles, like male nurses or female engineers.
Teach boys to stand up to sexism and help them practice what to say if their friends are disrespectful to women and girls. Have open conversations about consent and boundaries.
Why gender equality benefits everyone
Gender equality benefits everyone by creating fairer, more inclusive societies. When everyone, regardless of their gender, can access education, work without discrimination, and feel safe, it leads to stronger societies.
It reduces poverty, promotes and celebrates diversity and means that everyone can contribute to society to their full potential.
How Plan International UK is helping create a future, free from gender bias
At Plan International UK, we help empower girls to speak up and use their voice to influence policy and create change. Our Crime Not Compliment campaign in partnership with grassroots organisation Our Streets Now saw girls’ campaign for catcalling and harassment become a crime in the UK. After years of campaigning, the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 is now law.
To achieve gender equality, we need everyone. Working together with men and boys is critical. We are ensuring boys learn about what healthy relationships look like and are empowered to become champions for gender equality.
We work with communities to challenge harmful practices and social norms that limit girls' choices over their bodies and lives. This can look like supporting family and community dialogue on choices, consent, and safety, or harmful practices like child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation.
What you can do to support girls
Want to advance children’s rights and equality for girls? Get involved in our work by sponsoring a child, campaigning for change, fundraising to support our work, building your knowledge by reading our reports, or by joining Fierce Voices.
Gender bias FAQs
Here are three frequently asked questions about gender bias.
Why does gender bias start so young?
Children pick up ideas from adults, books, shows, and even clothes. Girls’ clothes are often pink and soft, while boys’ are bold with rockets or cars. This sends early messages about gender roles.
Often adults treat boys and girls differently — whether consciously or unconsciously. For example, they praise boys for being strong or assertive and praise girls for being kind and nurturing. Boys are allowed to run around and get dirty whilst girls must play quietly and keep their clothes clean.
What role do parents and teachers play in tackling gender bias?
Parents and teachers have a big impact. By treating boys and girls fairly, showing respect, and offering equal chances, they can help children grow up without bias. They help children build confidence and follow their dreams, no matter their gender.
Is gender bias always intentional?
No, gender bias is not always intentional or deliberate. It is often an unconscious bias, meaning that people are unaware they are being biased. How they treat boys and girls is based on deep-rooted, preconceived notions, assumptions and stereotypes about a person’s abilities based on their gender.
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