In the previous section we looked at a number of useful strategies to help build resilience. We can develop these strategies, or skills, over time and work to strengthen them. A particular area of interest for us then is building resilience to gender stereotypes. This means building the capacity to recognise, manage and overcome gender bias while contributing to a more equal society.

Changes need to be promoted at all levels, from the individual, to building community resilience, to systemic changes that create the framework and conditions for us to move towards gender equality as a society. In the European Union, the strategic document ‘Strategy for Gender Equality 2020-2025’ is important in this respect. This strategy aims to (European Commission):

• End gender-based violence;
• to challenge gender stereotypes;
• eliminate gender-based inequalities in the labour market;
• Achieve equal gender representation in different sectors of the economy;
• achieve gender balance in economic and political decision-making.

👉 Strengthening the resilience of individuals, communities and society as a whole has the potential to contribute to these strategic goals. Let’s now look at what practical steps we can take.

Practical steps to develop resilience to gender stereotypes:

✅ Changes at the individual level

• To feel the change, nothing is easier than starting with yourself. With the help of self-education, critical thinking and developing self-reflection, we can effectively examine our own biases and stereotypes. And by exposing ourselves to new experiences, experiencing gender stereotypes first-hand, we can become more aware of how stereotypes influence our thinking, decision-making, and career and personal choices.

✅ Changes at the community level

• Changes can start in our primary family, where we can consciously work with parents to raise their children without reinforcing gender stereotypes. At the community level, we can create and expand programs that promote equality and inclusion. We can also connect with people facing similar challenges, changing entrenched stereotypes through mentoring, sharing stories, learning from positive role models. In organisations, we can openly promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace and also consciously highlight gender inequalities

✅ Systemic change

• Strategies, policies and laws that promote gender equality and combat discrimination contribute to building a more resilient society. This also requires evidence-based data that provides support for decision-makers at the highest levels. Systemic changes towards a more equal society thus also contribute to building a more resilient society against gender stereotypes.

👉 We are at the end of the first chapter and now know a lot about what resilience is, how it is shaped and how it can contribute to a more equal society. In the next chapter, we will focus on self-care, which is the foundation of long-term resilience, and learn practical strategies to develop it.