By Brad Flahive, originally published on Stuff
The back of a truck is traditionally not for the faint-hearted – it can be rude, crude and at times rather funny – but as we fight to close the gender gap is it time for its tone to be reconsidered?
A south Auckland transport company pondered a question on the bed of one of its truck's carriages: "If a woman watches a movie alone... who answers all her questions?"
Northchill Ltd's owner said it was not intended to offend people and was an attempt to bring humour to would-be readers.
But a gender equality advocacy group said it was an example of the type of insidious sexism that continues to prop up gender inequality.
"It's exactly the type of subtle everyday interaction that maintain gender inequality by holding on to these rigid expectations of what it means to be a woman or a man," said Lisa Lawrence, president of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ).
"It's poor form and it's disappointing to see that happening in the 21st Century."
But in the three years it's been displayed, the company owner said he has not had one complaint. Its other trucks display signs that promote self-confidence and friendship.
"I'm not a sexist person, I employ women truck drivers, they think it's funny – it's only ever done in fun," he told Stuff.
"My wife is not offended, my office ladies aren't offended, neither are my daughters.
"There is an element of truth to it, some women don't get what goes on in movies, and so do some guys.
"Life is too short to take everything seriously, and everyone needs to be able to have a bit of a laugh at themselves. It was never put on there to offend people."
However, Lawrence said while it might not be intended to offend, "it's othering people and making presumptions about women's role that is only coming from a male perception".
Othering is a view or treating a person or group of people as intrinsically different from and alien to oneself.
NCWNZ is an organisation that works to achieve gender equality in the country; New Zealand placed sixth out of 144 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2020, published in December.
GENDER GAP INDEX
Globally the gender gap is widening, but in New Zealand it's closing, albeit slowly, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The Global Gender Gap Index examines the gap between men and women in four categories: Economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.
"This year's report highlights the growing urgency for action," said Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the WEF.
"At the present rate of change, it will take nearly a century to achieve parity, a timeline we simply cannot accept in today's globalised world, especially among younger generations who hold increasingly progressive views of gender equality."
The WEF stated the 100-year timeline would be achieved only if countries continued to make progress in tackling gender inequalities.
At the slow speed experienced between 2006–2020, it would take 257 years to close the gap, it said.
