Spotlight

Against the Great Silence

Equality is achieved on paper in Switzerland. In reality, many injustices persist—and are barely mentioned. Therefore, women and men need to talk to each other more, especially now, says social psychologist and gender researcher Julia Nentwich from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

Ms. Nentwich, when was the last time you advocated for more equality?

The proportion of women in professorships at universities remains a central issue. Especially in the disciplines central to the HSG, fewer women are still appointed than one would expect. It is important to scrutinize the appointment procedures. And that is what we did. Such a decision does not happen overnight and requires a lot of persuasion. And definitely not just from me!

How did you gain a hearing?

With arguments! And by referring to scientific research. And I have always had good experiences with that: finding a solution with arguments in order to move into action. Because anyone who feels stuck with a complex problem becomes speechless. And eventually gives up.

Currently, voices for equality and diversity are falling on deaf ears in many places. Until recently, they were particularly loud. Why this backlash?

This is due to the economic power of the USA. Companies do not want to lose this market. These are justified fears. But how quickly they succumbed to the pressure from Donald Trump surprised me nonetheless.

The US President signed a decree against diversity and equality programs shortly after taking office, to which many companies yielded.

I would have expected more backbone. It was interesting how certain companies retreated publicly, while a lot of change towards more diversity continued internally. So, they are continuing the proven programs, but under different names. I don’t think this strategy is so stupid at all. Because it allows them to remain capable of action by taking themselves out of the line of fire. However, what gives me hope are primarily the companies that are now focusing even more on diversity.

What role do the current wars play?

There is an exciting study from an evolutionary theory perspective that shows that equal societies need a peaceful world. If the enemy is lurking outside, a society becomes more division-of-labor-focused and therefore often more unequal.

That doesn’t sound confident, given the many crises.

That is true. Nevertheless, one can remain optimistic. Societies do not develop linearly, but in bursts. When a counter-movement comes, it does not mean that everything is developing backward.

Why is Equality Sometimes Fast, Sometimes Slow?

Big leaps can occur with legal changes, economic crises, or wars. However, everyday practices, as well as norms, values, and role models, require a longer time to change. Sometimes across generations. Furthermore, not everyone in a society is on the same path at the same time. Especially in the current era of social divisions, we should therefore once again confront ambiguities, differences, and differing views more strongly.

Should we talk to each other more?

Exactly. I miss the exchange between people, even among women. I realized myself that I wasn’t even talking to other women anymore about the equality issues that concern me in everyday life. And suddenly, I realized: Hey, there are others in my village who have exactly the same issues and feel a need for connection. We are now organizing discussion groups dealing with original feminist issues that are still unresolved in Switzerland. Particularly in the everyday lives of mothers.

For example?

The unequally distributed roles between men and women. Or childcare, which women predominantly take on in addition to their paid work.

Why are we not making more progress here?

Because we overestimate and underestimate equality at the same time. Of course, we have unquestionably made many steps forward. But we are a long way from true equality. Nevertheless, for about 20 years, we have been acting as if everything is settled. The still-existing inequalities are simply no longer addressed. And that makes it very difficult for everyone advocating for equality. They always have to explain why it is still necessary at all. That consumes an enormous amount of energy.

How do you explain this societal silence?

The inequalities between the genders are much more subtle today. New terms like “Mental Load” or “Care Work” make this clear. Only through them did it become possible to talk about additional burdens such as childcare, caring for parents, or dirty laundry. Women are mentally and physically exhausted by all the invisible work they have to do every day and cannot talk about. Sociologist Franziska Schutzbach brought this to a head in her book “Die Erschöpfung der Frauen” (The Exhaustion of Women). It sparked many discussions in families and partnerships. There is still a lot of potential there!

So, how do you convince people of the need for more equality today?

First, we should stop treating equality as a women’s issue. This way, men do not feel addressed. However, for men to become engaged, they must first understand that these inequalities still exist. And that succeeds when you talk about fairness. Especially in working life, we have a strong belief that individual performance is rewarded, not origin or gender. For example, male leaders begin to promote women when you appeal to their self-image as a fair boss. You don’t motivate them by denouncing them or creating guilt. Interestingly, my own research on leaders’ engagement with equality shows that men perceive themselves as very engaged on the topic of equality.

How does that fit together?

A recent study by the University of Geneva showed that men always assume they are more progressive than the average. But out of fear of the supposedly more conservative attitude of male colleagues, they prefer to remain silent. And the more male-dominated the context, the more such conservative norms are entrenched, and the more a homogeneous group of men adheres to exactly these norms. Essentially progressive men thus re-traditionalize themselves. The study also shows that it still requires social courage to counteract this group pressure among men.

How can silence be broken?

By mixing up such homogeneous groups more strongly. Then, norms and values change. And we know that men also benefit from this. In diverse teams, they treat each other more kindly and benevolently, they communicate better, and they work more productively. It is important that men also start talking about equality amongst themselves. Because in the discussion rounds we conducted with men in leadership positions, it quickly became clear that the majority could not relate to the traditional image of leadership and masculinity. They long for alternatives. Men, too, enjoy a better work-life balance that gives them more time for their families and allows them to maintain a lifestyle that makes them less sick. In my opinion, there is a lot of energy for equal opportunity there.

How could that be utilized?

By getting into conversation with each other. Men with men, men and women, women among themselves. It is about exchanging ideas and having these debates. This creates new everyday practices, new possibilities for identity, and new self-perceptions. Ultimately, this can only be achieved together.

Source: EqualVoice Magazin 2025, Page 10 to 13