What’s the Smurfette syndrome?
It was the American critic Katha Pollitt who described the Smurfette syndrome in the New York Times in 1991:
“Recent TV series often have only male characters [...]. The message is clear. Boys are the norm, girls are different; boys are central while girls are on the outside; boys are individuals while girls are stereotypes.”
We therefore talk about Smurfette syndrome to describe a situation where a woman finds herself alone or almost alone in the middle of a group of men. And unfortunately, we find ourselves put into a stereotypical box, sexualized, and reduced to our gender, just like Smurfette 😅. The syndrome occurs in all sorts of areas, including the workplace.
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Business sectors with Smurfettes
Gender balance is improving, but there are still some business sectors or career levels that remain very male-dominated. It’s still rare to see women in the military or in engineering. I’ve also found some figures that speak volumes about this phenomenon 😳:
- 👉 Tech and digital: according to a study in 2020, women accounted for just 27.9% of the workforce in the digital sector.
- 👉 Engineering: in 2021, only 28% of engineers were women.
- 👉 Building and public works: women make up just 12% of the workforce in the building and public works sector in 2020.
- 👉 Transport and logistics: in 2019, women accounted for just 22% of employees in road haulage.
- 👉 Technical professions in the audiovisual and performing arts: according to 2020 figures, women accounted for just 29% of the workforce in technical professions in the film, audiovisual, and performing arts sectors.
- 👉 Security and defense: in 2021, women accounted for just 16% of the military workforce and 29% of the civilian workforce in the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
I didn’t find any figures for female entrepreneurs, but I think they’re also very low. Now, the interesting question is why aren't there women in these sectors? Why are you more likely to be a Smurfette in these professions?
A battle against sexism
Marie-Christine Mahéas, explains that the Smurfette syndrome occurs in the workplace because there’s a serious lack of representation of women in the sectors I mentioned earlier.
We find it hard to picture ourselves in careers that are still perceived as masculine, not least because we feel a great deal of hostility.
💬 I remember visiting an IT school to become a developer after my graduation. I’d never heard so many sexist jokes and stereotypes as I did that day. I was either seen as an idiot or just a vagina and a pair of breasts. In short, I was a real Smurfette among nerds... |
You can imagine that this didn’t exactly encourage me to attend this school and go into this type of profession 😖... I was too scared of being subjected to misogynistic jokes and being locked into strategic incompetence in my future career!
Being a committed Smurfette
In fact, when you’re a woman in a man’s world, you’re quickly brought back to your feminine condition. Whether by the behavior of your colleagues or by the hierarchy and, more broadly, society. As Isabelle Rouhan points out, we’re often confronted with a working environment that doesn’t adapt to our lives.
Some companies don’t want to recruit women, particularly because of children. No wonder we’re afraid to tell our employer we’re pregnant 😕... On the whole, men are more favored when it comes to recruitment. With equal skills, a man is 1.5 times more likely to be hired than a woman in technical and scientific professions.
A woman applying for a job in a “men’s sector” has less “chance” of being recruited...
A phenomenon that needs to be eradicated
The Smurfette syndrome at work is a worrying reality that prevents some women from succeeding in their chosen fields. However, we don’t want to be the only representative of our gender in a professional environment and be subjected to stereotypes, sexism, and discrimination. It’s a real barrier to the development and recognition of women’s skills!
Fortunately, things are changing, especially since #MeToo. We’re asserting ourselves, denouncing things, and expressing our indignation. Companies can no longer turn a blind eye, and neither can men. In any case, it’s important to remind women who are isolated in their jobs that they shouldn’t hesitate to stand up for themselves and set an example for younger women, so that the Smurfette syndrome at work can be eradicated ✊.
Editor’s note: A more inclusive and respectful worldThe Smurfette syndrome highlights not only the challenges women face in male-dominated work environments, but also the profound impact this can have on our well-being and careers. If you’re feeling isolated, stereotyped, or facing similar challenges, it’s crucial that you don’t remain by yourself with these experiences. Consulting a psychologist will help you build resilience and develop strategies for dealing with sexism at work. Together, we can work towards a more inclusive and respectful working environment for all. 🤗 Understanding yourself, accepting yourself, being happy... It’s here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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