Gender Economics

Tax Splitting for Married Couples Cements Traditional Distribution

By international comparison, the German tax system is one of the few that has a tax-splitting policy for married couples. The progressive tax rate maximizes the splitting advantage for a single-earner household. This system does not encourage the other spouse, usually the woman, to take up work. State institutions thus inhibit men and women from participating equally in the German labor market.

Girls Wear Pink – Boys Are Pirates

Societal norms encourage gender inequality, which begins in early childhood in the social environment. A strong emphasis on gender or gender-specific prejudices has far-reaching consequences and impairs children and young people in their cognitive and socioemotional development. Their resulting choice of profession, career, and family planning perpetuate a potential disparity in salaries between the different genders.

Current studies show that in boys, the negative effects manifest themselves in reduced reading and social skills. In addition, only boys are punished when their behavior deviates from gender expectations in their social environment. In girls, the negative effects of unequal treatment manifest themselves in reduced spatial and mathematical-technical skills. Girls are more likely to develop less interest and self-confidence in the abovementioned areas than boys.

Sensitization Necessary

Gender-neutral pedagogy or measures that counteract such prejudices could mitigate these negative influences. These include, for example, adapting training and further training to sensitize crèche and kindergarten teachers, sensitizing parents, redesigning (school) books, and more gender-neutral toys.