Male Discrimination in Romania

Male Discrimination in Romania

In Romania, the topic of Male Discrimination almost does not exist. Unlike Female
Discrimination, topic in which there are a very high number of manifestations and articles being
published every year, righteously so, Male Discrimination, on the other hand, is mostly
neglected. The magnitude and importance of each are, undoubtedly, different. But this difference
is not reason enough for the complete neglecting of the latter.
In his book, The Second Sexism, David Benatar states that discrimination against men and
boys on the basis of sex is so unrecognized () that the mere mention of it will appear
laughable to some. (Benatar, 2012) Yet, in spite of this, it can and usually does happen, and, in
some cases, it could even be more prominent than the one against women and girls.
1. What is Discrimination?
The word to discriminate means to distinguish, single out, or make a distinction. In everyday
life, when faced with more than one option, we discriminate in arriving at almost every decision
we make. But in the context of civil rights law, unlawful discrimination refers to unfair or
unequal treatment of an individual (or group) based on certain characteristics, including: age,
disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion or sexual orientation.
(http://civilrights.findlaw.com)
Other aspects of discrimination include the following characteristics: Bias or prejudice resulting
in denial of opportunity, or unfair treatment regarding selection, promotion, or transfer.
Discrimination is practiced commonly on the grounds of age, disability, ethnicity, origin,
political belief, race, religion, sex, etc. factors which are irrelevant to a person's competence or
suitability, Unequal treatment provided to one or more parties on the basis of a mutual accord
or some other logical or illogical reason or Differences in two rates not explainable
or justifiable by economic considerations such as costs. (http://www.businessdictionary.com)
2. What is Gender Discrimination?
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Male Discrimination in Romania

In order to fully understand gender discrimination, one must firstly understand what are the
gender stereotypes underlying this process. Simply put, stereotypes are the expectations that we
have of one sex or another. Gender stereotypes relate to the appropriate roles of males and
females within various cultures and societies. They refer to the assignment of traits and tasks on
a gender basis: thus women seem to be more often associated with the domestic area while men
tend to be related to external activities. Scientists agree on biological and physical differences
between men and women, which can be both genetic and hormonal, but the differences in men
and women heavily rely on a complex interaction between physical and social factors, with the
latter having perhaps a greater influence than the former. Thus, the assignment of sex-roles
greatly depends on the various expectations a society has for men and women. Therefore, maleassociated items will have connotations such as activity and strength while female related items
will have passivity and weakness as connotations. (Berariu et al., 2010)
The Cambridge dictionary defines gender discrimination as a situation in which someone is
treated less well because of their sex, usually when a woman is treated less well than a man
(http://dictionary.cambridge.org). Based on this definition, we can see that, overall, male
discrimination is absent from the general discourse regarding gender discrimination.
David Beckham explains that the gender discrimination process is double-sided, and it has
repercussions on the strong sex as well. He explains how both girls and boys are affected, as
well as both women and men. Each of them is pressured by social norms. Girls are supposed to
be girly and boys to be boyish, and those who will not or cannot conform may suffer as a result.
A girl may be miserable at not looking like Angelina Jolie, but then a boy may mope at not
looking or behaving like David Beckham. (https://www.timeshighereducation.com)
3. About Romania
Each country has, undoubtedly, a specific culture and history which influences social norms and
expectations, as well as the extent of the discrimination processes. In order to study male
discrimination in Romania, one must take into account the Romanian context, culture, economic
development and other multiple factors.

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Male Discrimination in Romania

[In the] Romanian context () traditional values are still shaping the way people make social
judgments. () contextual factors, especially cultural ones, play a central role in the activation
and use of stereotypes. (Curseu, Boros, 2008)
Romania was a very rural society after the Second World War and the gender division of work
was a very traditional one. It can be said that both the patriarchal and agrarian model were
present. Respecting the patriarchal model, women were assigned to the private area and men to
the public area. Women were seen as submissive, dependent mothers and housewives, while men
were seen as strong, hardworking and independent. (Berariu et al., 2010) According to the
agrarian model, the activities done by the women in the private sphere are equally important to
the economic development of the family.
This is the context in which the communist regimes promoted a full employment policy for
women, as well as for men, but did nothing to encourage gender equality in the private space.
The result was a significant persistence of traditional values and gender stereotypes. (Voicu,
Tufis, 2012)
After the collapse of the communist regime, Romanians embraced the Orthodox Church, which
had been controlled during the communist regime, and as a consequence regained respect for
older traditions and customs that included high power distance and male dominated roles.(Vanc,
White, 2011)
Nowadays, Romania, as well as other former communist countries, is experiencing significant
cultural changes as it moves to democracy and capitalism.(Vanc, White, 2011) Attitudes in
Romania nowadays are a blend of the old and new and are influenced by history and politics.
(Vanc, White, 2011)
4. Law based discrimination
When identifying the ways in which the male gender is being discriminated against in Romania,
we can classify them into two main groups: law-based discrimination and social norms and
expectations. The first group refers to some more pronounced ways of discrimination, based on
the law that is or used to be valid. The second refers to the more discrete ways of discrimination,
which are not based at all on the law.
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Male Discrimination in Romania

a. Child Custody
In Romania, as well as in other Eastern-European countries, women are seen as the primary
caretakers of children. As a result, state policies concerning child bearing and rearing are
determined by, and are simultaneously highly consequential for, gender inequality and womens
place in the family, the labor market and civil society.(Fodor et al., 2002)
For a long time (1954-2011), in Romania, the decisions made by judges regarding Child Custody
operated by the Presumption of custody to the mother, which meant that, if the mother has the
necessary resources to take care of the child, the custody would be given to her, no matter the
wishes of the father. This presumption worked for both Sole custody cases in which the total
custody was given to the mother and for Shared custody in which the child was established to
live with his mother. Although the law was changed after 2011, offering parents the chance to
agree on a joint physical custody, in practice, this was hardly ever the case.
The law was changed again in 2013, setting a clear set of rules by which judges have to evaluate
which one of the parents would be most suitable for the custody. Although this is the law,
the maternal preference is deeply rooted in the minds of the divorce judges.
(https://sharedparenting.wordpress.com)
b. Military Service
David Benatar states that state policies and/or social norms that primarily encourage men, but
rarely women, into military conscription and combat, [are] causing millions of men to die or
suffer physically and psychologically. (Benatar, 2012)
The law in Romania included Compulsory Military Service for men until the 31st of December
2007. Since 2007, the law states that every Romanian citizen has the possibility (but are not
obliged) to do military service. As in the case of the Child Custody laws, it would probably take
a while until the changes in the law would be able to be seen in practice and would reflect social
expectations.
c. Retirement Age

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Male Discrimination in Romania

The law regarding retirement age in Romania, which is still valid nowadays, sets the retirement
age for women at 63 and the retirement age for men at 65. There are no valid arguments for this
reason, other than the social perception of men, who are seen as stronger and hardworking than
women.
5. Social norms and expectations regarding men
In Romania, traditional sex-roles for men have not altered much either, since they are still
connected to work as they have always been. They still represent power and strength whether
they are involved in physical work or office work, at home or at work. Men are still seen as
seducers, strong and rebellious while women are to be seduced. (Berariu et al., 2010)
a. Financial expectations
During the communist regime in Romania, men had a legal obligation to have a job, [but]
women had more choice in this respect.(Gheaus, 2007)
Nowadays, Romanian people still see men as the providers for their families. This pressures
men to pursue high-paying careers or jobs, even if their passions or interests are related to other
fields that are not as highly paid. Another consequence of this fact is the rarely-given option for
men to be a stay-at-home parent and not pursue a career. Unlike women, who are still able to
choose, social expectations of men limits their choices in this regard.
Financial expectations of men in Romania dont apply only to men that have a family. Unmarried
men, as well as students, no matter their financial status, are always expected to pay on dates, to
pay expensive entrance fees for clubs or pools that are free for women. Also, they never receive
free drinks or other perks which are given only to women.
Taking this into consideration, we may say that, for example, a male artist might encounter much
more frustration due to the lack of money than a female working in the same field.
b. Behavioral expectations

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Male Discrimination in Romania

In Romania, men are expected to be active, dominant, aggressive, daring, courageous, energetic,
enterprising, forceful, strong, independent, stern. (Stan, Secui, 2012) The Romanian
advertisement industry portrays men as powerful and independent. (Berariu et al., 2010)
Men are usually socially sanctioned if they are seen displaying emotional or sensitive behaviors.
Being expected to be strong and courageous in any circumstances just because they are men
might lead those that dont have these qualities to frustration, due to the fact that they are not
able to be themselves in the present Romanian society. Also, it is hard for men to pursue careers
in fashion, makeup or hairdressing because of social stigmatization.
6. Conclusion
It is very hard to be a sensitive man in nowadays Romania. Growing up, you would always be
told to not cry like a little girl and to avoid expressing emotions. During your youth, you
would be pressured to follow a high-paying career, no matter your interests. You would also be
expected to do military service. In case of divorce, you would be very less likely to get the
custody of your children. Also, when it comes to retirement, you would have to work 2 years
longer than women.
Both men and women are being discriminated against based on their gender in Romania.
Although some actions have been and are still being taken in order to fight against women
discrimination, the discrimination of men is yet to be acknowledged.

7. References
Benatar, David, 2012 The second sexism: discrimination against men and boys,

John Wiley & Sons Inc

Berariu, E. C., Moraru, A., & Peterlicean, A. (2010). GENDER-RELATED
ISSUES IN ROMANIAN PRINT ADVERTISING. Annals Of DAAAM &

Proceedings, 661-662
CUREU, P. L., & BORO, S. (2008). STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICE
TOWARDS WOMEN MANAGERS: AN EXPERIMENTAL ILLUSTRATION
USING THE GOLDBERG-PARADIGM IN A ROMANIAN SAMPLE. Studia
Psychologica, 50(3), 233-254

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Male Discrimination in Romania

Fodor, E., Glass, C., Kawachi, J., & Popescu, L. (2002). Family policies and
gender in Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Communist & Post-Communist

Studies, 35(4), 475.

Gheaus, A. (2007). Ultima inegalitate: Relatiile de gen in Romania. Feminist

Economics, 13(2), 243-247. doi:10.1080/13545700601184930

Stan, Rosana, Secui, Monica, 2012. GENDER STEREOTYPES IN ROMANIAN
SOCIETY. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF MASCULINITY
AND FEMININITY. International Journal of Education and Psychology in the

Community IJEPC, July, 33-53

Vanc, A., & White, C. (2011). Cultural perceptions of public relations gender roles
in Romania. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 103-105.

doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.12.003
Voicu, M., & Tufi, P. A. (2012). Trends in gender beliefs in Romania: 1993

2008. Current Sociology, 60(1), 61-80. doi:10.1177/0011392111426648

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/discrimination.html#ixzz3xK5UYq

UV
http://civilrights.findlaw.com/civil-rights-overview/what-is-discrimination.html
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gender-discrimination
http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media_249370_en.pdf
https://sharedparenting.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/37/
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/books/the-second-sexism-discriminationagainst-men-and-boys/420459.article

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