Kay Xander Mellish explores gender equality in Denmark, where women hold 40% of parliament seats but only 26.5% of management roles. The tax system pushes both parents to work full-time and use daycare from age one, yet women still do more housework and childcare. Parental leave is officially shared but mostly taken by mothers, interrupting their careers while men advance.
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Hello and welcome to the How to Live in Denmark podcast. I'm Kay Xander Mellish. Denmark has had 2 female prime ministers. And about 40% of the people elected to the Folketing, the Danish parliament, are women. But when it comes to private industry, Danish women have one of the lowest participation rates in management in Europe. According to the OECD, only 26.5% of managers in Denmark are female, compared to 39.8% in the U.S. It's not unusual to see a senior management team made up entirely of Danish males, with perhaps a Swedish or German male thrown in for diversity. That said, the majority of adult Danish women hold paying jobs. The Danish tax system makes it very difficult for a couple to survive on one income, even a hefty one. For families with young children, the Danish way is for both parents to work full-time and put the kids in government-run daycare Right after their first birthday. Even the children of the royal family did their time in government-run daycare before moving into public schools. That includes young Christian, the future King Christian XI of Denmark. So both parents are expected to hold down jobs, and both parents are expected to help around the house. Danish men do more housework than any other men in the OECD nations. And they're also deeply involved in childcare, although women still do more. There's a certain expectation that even highly educated women with demanding jobs will bake buns from scratch— they're called Böller— and attend numerous parent meetings at the school or kindergarten, and plan cozy birthday parties for the children. It's common for women with full-time jobs and young kids to be diagnosed with stress and take sick leave from work. Denmark's generous parental leave is supposed to be shared between parents, but in practice it's taken mostly by mothers. Although for creative class men in Copenhagen and Aarhus, taking a few months of paternity leave has become a kind of a status symbol. I can say from personal experience that it's wonderful to have a paid year off to tend to and bond with a new baby. A vast industry has sprung up to help new parents enjoy their child's first few months. There's baby swimming, baby music, baby yoga, and even baby psalm singing at the local church. In addition, in Denmark the municipalities set up mothers' groups with 5 or 6 local mothers who have given birth at about the same time. They can share their various baby triumphs and troubles with other women experiencing similar milestones. Sometimes these groups click and the mothers and children become lifelong friends. It's a nice feature. But the 1 year off work to spend with a newborn does interrupt women's career trajectories, particularly because many Danish women choose to have 2 or 3 children in their 20s and 30s, while their male counterparts are building business experience. How much of the gender differences in management is discrimination, and how much is personal choice? It's a difficult question to answer. Anyway, the blurring of traditional gender roles in Denmark has also eliminated traditional chivalry. If you're a woman dating a Danish man, don't expect flowers or gifts or to have him pick up the check for a romantic dinner. In fact, if you're interested in a Danish man, it's always a good idea to take the initiative yourself. Even in a non-dating environment, don't assume that a man will open doors for you or that a man will get up to let you have on public transport when you've been standing, kind of uncomfortably swaying, for a dozen stops or more. A Danish man knows you can stand on your own 2 feet. And that's the How to Live in Denmark podcast for this week. You can buy our books, How to Live in Denmark, How to Work in Denmark, and Working with Danes: Tips for Americans, on Amazon, Saxo, Google Play, And Apple Books. Also Barnes Noble Nooks. Just added that one. And you can follow all our content at howtoliveindenmark.com or follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @howtoliveindk. The 2 is a number. See you next time.
