Gender apartheid: The challenges of breaking into “man's world”

Drawing on feminist/gender theory and the notion that women self-allocate to occupations with which they identify, this study examines the challenges confronted by women working in male-dominated occupations in a highly patriarchal setting. The findings reveal that women working in ‘male-typed’ occupations in Nigeria are ‘lone wolves’ in a marginal revolution. They experience social ostracism, impaired spousal relationships, and a lack of support from friends and family. Furthermore, the entrenchment of patriarchal culture, the requirement of physical strength, and the lack of trust on the part of clients pose significant barriers to their success in male-dominated professions. These problems further breed and reinforce occupational gender segregation. The prospects of reducing occupational gender segregation and the underrepresentation of women in ‘male-typed’ occupations appear slim due to cultural beliefs and the patriarchal orientation in the study context.