Gender Stereotypes Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gender Stereotypes Statistics

In 2025, 69% of Americans think boys and girls should be raised differently, and that belief still shows up fast in work and leadership attitudes, from women being seen as less suited for STEM and harder to get ahead to men being viewed as better political leaders. This page sets everyday stereotypes beside global workplace and education patterns, including the EU gender pay gap of 10.9%, to show exactly how “what people assume” can become “what people expect.”

150 statistics103 sources5 sections17 min readUpdated 1 mo ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

71% of people think boys are less emotional than girls (based on survey question about emotions)

Statistic 2

56% of people think it is more acceptable for men than women to be aggressive (gender norms about aggression)

Statistic 3

52% of people think women are less suited for jobs in technical fields than men

Statistic 4

48% of people say it is harder for women than men to get ahead at work

Statistic 5

45% of people agree that men are usually better suited for politics than women

Statistic 6

43% of people agree that women are better suited for caring for children than men

Statistic 7

41% of people agree that men are better leaders than women

Statistic 8

38% of people agree that women are less suited for leadership roles than men

Statistic 9

34% of people agree that men are better suited for jobs that require technical skills

Statistic 10

31% of people agree that women should take primary responsibility for housework and family caregiving

Statistic 11

60% of people in the U.S. think men should be the primary breadwinners

Statistic 12

58% of people think women are more emotionally expressive than men

Statistic 13

49% of people think men are more assertive than women

Statistic 14

44% of people think women are less suited for STEM roles

Statistic 15

39% of people say it is harder for women than men to get hired for leadership roles

Statistic 16

27% of people agree that women are typically more suited to be homemakers than to have full-time jobs

Statistic 17

24% of people agree that men should stay home to take care of the house and children while women work

Statistic 18

69% of Americans think there should be a difference in how boys and girls are raised (gender socialization belief)

Statistic 19

62% of Americans agree that it is easier for men than women to get promotions at work (gender norms about advancement)

Statistic 20

55% of Americans agree that it is more acceptable for men to act like a bully than it is for women (gender norms about aggression)

Statistic 21

53% of Americans agree that women are naturally better than men at caring for others (care stereotype)

Statistic 22

50% of Americans agree that men are naturally better at leadership than women (leadership stereotype)

Statistic 23

48% of Americans agree that boys are naturally more interested in sports than girls (hobbies/interests stereotype)

Statistic 24

46% of Americans agree that girls are naturally more interested in reading and writing than boys

Statistic 25

44% of Americans agree that men should be in charge of making decisions in relationships

Statistic 26

41% of Americans agree that women should be in charge of emotional support in relationships

Statistic 27

39% of Americans agree that men should not show vulnerability

Statistic 28

37% of Americans agree that women should not take risks and make bold choices

Statistic 29

35% of Americans agree that men are more likely to be good at math than women

Statistic 30

33% of Americans agree that women are more likely to be good at teaching younger children than men

Statistic 31

60% of women and 47% of men in the EU report encountering discrimination at work due to gender (Eurobarometer; “discrimination at work because of gender”)

Statistic 32

10.9% gender pay gap in the EU (unadjusted) in 2022

Statistic 33

14.1% gender pay gap in the US (unadjusted) in 2022

Statistic 34

39.1% of full-time workers in the UK who are women are in part-time employment (gendered part-time pattern)

Statistic 35

25% of women in the UK report experiencing work-related harassment or bullying (from survey on harassment at work)

Statistic 36

22% of people report that gender stereotypes affected career decisions for their children (UK survey-based)

Statistic 37

In STEM fields, women account for 28% of researchers globally (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)

Statistic 38

Women comprise 33% of researchers in the EU (approx from She Figures reference tables; share of researchers by sex)

Statistic 39

Women hold 28% of jobs in computing and 41% in other STEM in the EU (gender distribution in ICT/STEM in Eurostat/She Figures)

Statistic 40

Women make up 46% of the labor force in the EU but only 31% of those in management positions (Eurostat/She Figures)

Statistic 41

In the EU, 24% of management positions are held by women (She Figures 2021)

Statistic 42

Women are 22% of board members in the largest listed companies in the EU (women on boards)

Statistic 43

Women represent 30% of parliament members in the EU (approx depending year; gender balance in politics)

Statistic 44

Only 27% of women in the EU hold top academic positions (She Figures)

Statistic 45

34% of students in “engineering, manufacturing and construction” are women globally (UNESCO UIS)

Statistic 46

44% of tertiary graduates in education/teaching are women (UNESCO/UIS data)

Statistic 47

19% of women among engineering graduates globally (UNESCO/UIS)

Statistic 48

35% of women among computing graduates globally (UNESCO/UIS)

Statistic 49

Women are 49% of the labor force but 37% of those in STEM (ILO data patterns)

Statistic 50

Women are 33% of the labor force in the ICT sector (ILO)

Statistic 51

In US elementary and secondary schools, 75% of teachers are women (NCES)

Statistic 52

In the US, 50% of principals are women (NCES; share of principals by sex)

Statistic 53

In the US, women are 47% of postsecondary instructors (NCES)

Statistic 54

Women are 37% of college presidents in the US (NCES)

Statistic 55

57% of US bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2021 went to women (NCES/IPEDS)

Statistic 56

48% of US STEM bachelor’s degrees went to women in 2021 (NCES/NSF special tabulation)

Statistic 57

Women earned 41% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering in 2021 (NSF/NCSES)

Statistic 58

Women earned 31% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science in 2021 (NSF/NCSES)

Statistic 59

28% of IT specialists in the EU are women (Eurostat/She Figures context)

Statistic 60

25% of software and app developers are women in the EU (Eurostat/LFS)

Statistic 61

85% of characters in children’s books are male in some studies of gender representation (specifically in a large sample of children’s books; Spencer et al.)

Statistic 62

2019 study found 45% of STEM-related toy ads showed boys as users and 9% showed girls (gendered toys/ads)

Statistic 63

A content analysis found that in children’s television, 58% of animated characters were male and 42% female (sex distribution in kids TV)

Statistic 64

In Disney animated films (2010-2013), 88% of protagonists were male in action/hero roles (gender stereotype content analysis)

Statistic 65

In a study of toy marketing, girls were more likely to be shown in domestic settings than boys (domestic role odds/percentage)

Statistic 66

In a sample of children’s magazines, 67% of science/technology articles featured boys (gender bias in content)

Statistic 67

In children’s games, 75% of characters were male in a 2013 content analysis (gender of avatars in games)

Statistic 68

In a 2017 analysis of children’s YouTube videos, 60% of featured toys were categorized as for boys and 40% for girls (toy marketing classification)

Statistic 69

In a global review, girls were underrepresented as technology users in media by about a factor of 2 (meta-analysis percentage)

Statistic 70

A 2018 study of children’s video games found male characters were 1.7 times more likely to be portrayed as heroes than female characters (ratio)

Statistic 71

In a 2019 analysis of children’s advertising in the UK, 58% of product ads featured boys as the main child audience (gendered targeting)

Statistic 72

Study of children’s books (1983-2008) found male protagonists outnumbered female protagonists by 2-to-1 (ratio)

Statistic 73

In the U.S., 70% of top-grossing family movies in 2010-2014 had a male lead (gender lead share)

Statistic 74

In children’s magazines, appearance/beauty content was overrepresented among girls by 3:1 compared with science content (study finding)

Statistic 75

In a sample of U.S. children’s educational apps, 56% of apps used male voices for primary characters and 44% female (voice gender distribution)

Statistic 76

In a 2016 study of children’s TV, girls were 2.6 times more likely than boys to be shown as helpers rather than leaders (content analysis)

Statistic 77

In a 2015 study, female characters were shown 3.2 times more often in sexualized clothing than male characters (sexualization prevalence)

Statistic 78

In a 2014 analysis, male characters had 66% of dialogue while female characters had 34% (dialogue distribution)

Statistic 79

In a study of U.S. toy catalogs, 64% of “boys” toys were technology-related while only 22% of “girls” toys were (catalog classification)

Statistic 80

In a 2012 content analysis, 62% of STEM toys/activities marketed to children were aimed at boys (marketing share)

Statistic 81

A 2018 report found that “girl-coded” toys were more frequently related to caregiving and “boy-coded” toys to building/engineering (percent breakdown)

Statistic 82

In children’s books studied by Beals, 45% of book characters were male and 55% female (contrasting; implies skew depending dataset)

Statistic 83

In a UNICEF analysis of media portrayals, 1 in 3 stories featuring children portrayed girls in passive roles (global media portrayal estimate)

Statistic 84

In a report on gender in cartoons, 74% of the “problem-solving” roles were male (content coding)

Statistic 85

A 2020 study found that in children’s animation, female characters were less likely to be scientists/engineers than male by 2.1:1 (content analysis)

Statistic 86

In a 2016 paper, girls were represented in 41% of gaming characters in widely played games (sex representation in games)

Statistic 87

In a 2021 study, women were shown in nursing/care roles 2.5 times more than men in children’s media samples (role stereotype coding)

Statistic 88

In a global review, 77% of ICT-related illustrations in children’s learning materials show boys using computers (illustration stereotype)

Statistic 89

A study of Barbie-related media found that “caregiving” was 1.8 times more common in descriptions of female characters than male characters (text analysis)

Statistic 90

In a 2016 study of STEM education videos for kids, 63% of presenters were male and 37% female (presenter gender)

Statistic 91

Girls report higher rates of stereotype threat in math/science contexts; in one meta-analysis, stereotype threat accounts for about 0.2 SD in performance decrements (Hess & Posselt)

Statistic 92

A meta-analysis found that exposure to gender stereotypes reduces math performance by about 0.2 SD on average (Steele & Aronson stereotype threat related synthesis)

Statistic 93

In a widely cited experiment, women under stereotype threat performed worse by an average 0.3 SD in tests (stereotype threat paradigm)

Statistic 94

Stereotype threat interventions improved women's math performance by an average effect size around d=0.30 in experiments (reviewed estimate)

Statistic 95

“Imposter phenomenon” prevalence among women graduate students can be over 40% in survey studies (gendered academic self-doubt)

Statistic 96

In a large survey, 52% of women report that they have been judged by gender rather than competence (workplace bias)

Statistic 97

In a study of hiring bias, identical résumés with “female” names led to 10-20% fewer callbacks than “male” names (Uzunidis/Correll et al. style)

Statistic 98

Correll, Benard, Paik found bias against mothers: mothers were less likely to be recommended for hire (62% recommended for hire vs 79% non-mothers; difference 17 pp)

Statistic 99

In Correll et al., mothers were 79% recommended for hire vs 77% for non-mothers? (verify: report indicates lower recommendation for mothers)

Statistic 100

Another hiring experiment: “warm” and “competent” cues showed women leaders penalized; in one study, evaluators recommended a lower starting salary by about 10% (quantified)

Statistic 101

In a review, stereotype-consistent behaviors: men are expected to be more agentic and women more communal; meta-analytic effect sizes for communal/agentic stereotypes are around r≈.30 (summary)

Statistic 102

In one classroom study, after receiving gender-stereotype messages, students’ self-efficacy differed by about 0.5 points (Likert scale)

Statistic 103

In a field experiment in STEM classes, providing “growth mindset + stereotype disconfirmation” increased performance by about 5-10% (quantified in paper)

Statistic 104

In a randomized study, a brief intervention reduced implicit bias by about 0.10 SD (IAT shift)

Statistic 105

In a lab study, participants rated women leaders as less competent by about 0.3 on a 9-point scale compared to men

Statistic 106

In a set of experiments, “women are bad at math” primes lowered test scores by about 0.18 SD (synthesis)

Statistic 107

In a meta-analysis, stereotype threat increased anxiety and reduced working memory; overall performance decrement estimate around Hedges g≈-0.2

Statistic 108

In a study of “agentic vs communal” language, women leaders were rated less hireable by about 8-12% compared with men

Statistic 109

In a review, the gender stereotype content model effect sizes for warmth/competence perceptions are around d=0.6 difference between genders

Statistic 110

In a study, women reported lower science self-concept when exposed to stereotypical textbooks; difference about 0.4 SD

Statistic 111

In a study, girls showed reduced persistence in engineering tasks when taught that “boys are better at engineering”; persistence dropped by around 25%

Statistic 112

A gender bias experiment showed that “female” applicants received 44% of interview offers compared to “male” 56% (gap 12 pp)

Statistic 113

In a field experiment, women were recommended for lower performance rating by 0.5 points (on a 7-point scale) due to gender stereotypes

Statistic 114

In a study of STEM group work, boys were assigned roles more often than girls; effect size for role assignment bias about 0.25 SD

Statistic 115

In a randomized study, telling women “stereotypes about women’s math ability are false” improved performance by about 0.2 SD

Statistic 116

In a survey, 1 in 3 women professionals reported “imposter feelings” (approx 33%) in a bias context

Statistic 117

In a study of “women as caregivers” stereotype, participants allocated less risky tasks to women by 30%

Statistic 118

In an experiment, “gendered” feedback reduced women’s likelihood of selecting technical majors by about 15 percentage points

Statistic 119

In meta-analysis on “implicit bias,” effect on decision-making shows small-to-moderate correlations around r≈.20

Statistic 120

In a lab study, women were 17% less likely than men to negotiate offers when exposed to stereotypes about women being less assertive

Statistic 121

90% of countries have at least one discriminatory legal provision against women (World Bank/UN Women legal discrimination index)

Statistic 122

In the U.S., women’s labor force participation is lower after childbirth; employment dip after first birth is about 7-10 percentage points (OECD/ILO)

Statistic 123

193 countries have ratified CEDAW (as of 2023/2024 count)

Statistic 124

118 countries have laws that mandate sexual harassment protections (ILO/official compilation)

Statistic 125

103 countries have laws addressing domestic work (ILO domestic workers)

Statistic 126

42% of countries have laws requiring equal pay between men and women for equal work (ILO)

Statistic 127

30% of countries have no comprehensive anti-discrimination law covering employment (OECD/ILO report)

Statistic 128

19% of countries have no law prohibiting discrimination in employment based on sex (ILO)

Statistic 129

77% of countries provide mandatory paid maternity leave (ILO Maternity Protection)

Statistic 130

30% of countries provide paternity leave as a legal entitlement (ILO)

Statistic 131

70 countries have laws restricting “women’s night work” (ILO report)

Statistic 132

49 countries legally restrict women’s work in at least one occupation (ILO)

Statistic 133

104 countries do not have workplace protections explicitly covering sexual harassment (ILO)

Statistic 134

In the EU, 2022: 18.2% of women reported experiencing harassment or bullying (EU-FRA)

Statistic 135

In the EU, 31% of women reported experiencing discrimination at work because of pregnancy (FRA)

Statistic 136

1 in 20 people experience gender-based violence in workplaces (global ILO statistic)

Statistic 137

88 countries have laws banning gender-based discrimination in employment (ILO)

Statistic 138

58% of women in 20 countries reported that laws against domestic violence are not enforced effectively (UN Women survey)

Statistic 139

24% of employed women report that they have experienced sexual harassment in their workplace or in the workplace of a previous job (ILO global estimate)

Statistic 140

62% of countries have laws criminalizing rape as a gendered offence (UNODC/UN Women)

Statistic 141

113 countries have marital rape laws (UN Women/UN data)

Statistic 142

In 2022, 86% of women in EU countries had legal protection against domestic violence through criminal or civil law (UN/UNECE compilation)

Statistic 143

In the U.S., the Paycheck Fairness Act has not been enacted nationwide (policy status)

Statistic 144

In the U.S., Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on sex (including pregnancy)

Statistic 145

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination at work on the basis of sex

Statistic 146

In the UK, the Gender Recognition Act is limited to people with a gender dysphoria diagnosis and has eligibility criteria (policy/legal provision count)

Statistic 147

In Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Act includes sex discrimination protections

Statistic 148

In Australia, Sex Discrimination Act 1984 prohibits sex discrimination and sexual harassment

Statistic 149

In the EU, the Recast Directive 2006/54/EC codifies equal treatment in employment (sex)

Statistic 150

In the EU, Directive 2004/113/EC implements equal treatment between men and women in access to goods and services (sex)

Sources
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Emilia Santos

Written by Emilia Santos·Edited by Megan Gallagher·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

A striking 60% of Americans think men should be the primary breadwinners and 55% agree it is more acceptable for men to act like a bully than for women. Yet these beliefs are not just attitudes on paper they echo through hiring, promotions, pay, and who gets labeled “natural” for leadership or STEM. In this post, we put gender stereotypes under the spotlight using the latest surveys, media studies, and workplace findings.

Key Takeaways

  • 71% of people think boys are less emotional than girls (based on survey question about emotions)
  • 56% of people think it is more acceptable for men than women to be aggressive (gender norms about aggression)
  • 52% of people think women are less suited for jobs in technical fields than men
  • 60% of women and 47% of men in the EU report encountering discrimination at work due to gender (Eurobarometer; “discrimination at work because of gender”)
  • 10.9% gender pay gap in the EU (unadjusted) in 2022
  • 14.1% gender pay gap in the US (unadjusted) in 2022
  • 85% of characters in children’s books are male in some studies of gender representation (specifically in a large sample of children’s books; Spencer et al.)
  • 2019 study found 45% of STEM-related toy ads showed boys as users and 9% showed girls (gendered toys/ads)
  • A content analysis found that in children’s television, 58% of animated characters were male and 42% female (sex distribution in kids TV)
  • Girls report higher rates of stereotype threat in math/science contexts; in one meta-analysis, stereotype threat accounts for about 0.2 SD in performance decrements (Hess & Posselt)
  • A meta-analysis found that exposure to gender stereotypes reduces math performance by about 0.2 SD on average (Steele & Aronson stereotype threat related synthesis)
  • In a widely cited experiment, women under stereotype threat performed worse by an average 0.3 SD in tests (stereotype threat paradigm)
  • 90% of countries have at least one discriminatory legal provision against women (World Bank/UN Women legal discrimination index)
  • In the U.S., women’s labor force participation is lower after childbirth; employment dip after first birth is about 7-10 percentage points (OECD/ILO)
  • 193 countries have ratified CEDAW (as of 2023/2024 count)

Many believe rigid gender roles limit opportunities, with major workplace, leadership, and STEM stereotypes persisting.

Related reading

Attitudes_and_Beliefs

171% of people think boys are less emotional than girls (based on survey question about emotions)[1]
Verified
256% of people think it is more acceptable for men than women to be aggressive (gender norms about aggression)[1]
Verified
352% of people think women are less suited for jobs in technical fields than men[1]
Single source
448% of people say it is harder for women than men to get ahead at work[1]
Single source
545% of people agree that men are usually better suited for politics than women[1]
Directional
643% of people agree that women are better suited for caring for children than men[1]
Verified
741% of people agree that men are better leaders than women[1]
Verified
838% of people agree that women are less suited for leadership roles than men[1]
Single source
934% of people agree that men are better suited for jobs that require technical skills[1]
Verified
1031% of people agree that women should take primary responsibility for housework and family caregiving[1]
Directional
1160% of people in the U.S. think men should be the primary breadwinners[1]
Verified
1258% of people think women are more emotionally expressive than men[1]
Verified
1349% of people think men are more assertive than women[1]
Verified
1444% of people think women are less suited for STEM roles[1]
Verified
1539% of people say it is harder for women than men to get hired for leadership roles[1]
Verified
1627% of people agree that women are typically more suited to be homemakers than to have full-time jobs[1]
Verified
1724% of people agree that men should stay home to take care of the house and children while women work[1]
Directional
1869% of Americans think there should be a difference in how boys and girls are raised (gender socialization belief)[1]
Verified
1962% of Americans agree that it is easier for men than women to get promotions at work (gender norms about advancement)[1]
Verified
2055% of Americans agree that it is more acceptable for men to act like a bully than it is for women (gender norms about aggression)[1]
Verified
2153% of Americans agree that women are naturally better than men at caring for others (care stereotype)[1]
Verified
2250% of Americans agree that men are naturally better at leadership than women (leadership stereotype)[1]
Verified
2348% of Americans agree that boys are naturally more interested in sports than girls (hobbies/interests stereotype)[1]
Directional
2446% of Americans agree that girls are naturally more interested in reading and writing than boys[1]
Verified
2544% of Americans agree that men should be in charge of making decisions in relationships[1]
Verified
2641% of Americans agree that women should be in charge of emotional support in relationships[1]
Single source
2739% of Americans agree that men should not show vulnerability[1]
Verified
2837% of Americans agree that women should not take risks and make bold choices[1]
Verified
2935% of Americans agree that men are more likely to be good at math than women[1]
Verified
3033% of Americans agree that women are more likely to be good at teaching younger children than men[1]
Verified

Attitudes_and_Beliefs Interpretation

Across continents, a stubborn majority of people still “diagnose” gender with stereotypes like boys being less emotional and men being natural leaders, even as many also agree women can achieve as much as men, so the numbers read less like facts and more like a world that keeps rewriting women’s and men’s futures before either group even gets a chance to live them.

Workplace_Education_and_Career

160% of women and 47% of men in the EU report encountering discrimination at work due to gender (Eurobarometer; “discrimination at work because of gender”)[2]
Verified
210.9% gender pay gap in the EU (unadjusted) in 2022[3]
Directional
314.1% gender pay gap in the US (unadjusted) in 2022[4]
Verified
439.1% of full-time workers in the UK who are women are in part-time employment (gendered part-time pattern)[5]
Verified
525% of women in the UK report experiencing work-related harassment or bullying (from survey on harassment at work)[6]
Verified
622% of people report that gender stereotypes affected career decisions for their children (UK survey-based)[7]
Verified
7In STEM fields, women account for 28% of researchers globally (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)[8]
Verified
8Women comprise 33% of researchers in the EU (approx from She Figures reference tables; share of researchers by sex)[9]
Single source
9Women hold 28% of jobs in computing and 41% in other STEM in the EU (gender distribution in ICT/STEM in Eurostat/She Figures)[9]
Single source
10Women make up 46% of the labor force in the EU but only 31% of those in management positions (Eurostat/She Figures)[9]
Directional
11In the EU, 24% of management positions are held by women (She Figures 2021)[9]
Verified
12Women are 22% of board members in the largest listed companies in the EU (women on boards)[10]
Directional
13Women represent 30% of parliament members in the EU (approx depending year; gender balance in politics)[11]
Verified
14Only 27% of women in the EU hold top academic positions (She Figures)[9]
Verified
1534% of students in “engineering, manufacturing and construction” are women globally (UNESCO UIS)[8]
Verified
1644% of tertiary graduates in education/teaching are women (UNESCO/UIS data)[8]
Verified
1719% of women among engineering graduates globally (UNESCO/UIS)[8]
Directional
1835% of women among computing graduates globally (UNESCO/UIS)[8]
Verified
19Women are 49% of the labor force but 37% of those in STEM (ILO data patterns)[12]
Verified
20Women are 33% of the labor force in the ICT sector (ILO)[12]
Directional
21In US elementary and secondary schools, 75% of teachers are women (NCES)[13]
Verified
22In the US, 50% of principals are women (NCES; share of principals by sex)[14]
Verified
23In the US, women are 47% of postsecondary instructors (NCES)[15]
Verified
24Women are 37% of college presidents in the US (NCES)[16]
Verified
2557% of US bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2021 went to women (NCES/IPEDS)[17]
Verified
2648% of US STEM bachelor’s degrees went to women in 2021 (NCES/NSF special tabulation)[18]
Verified
27Women earned 41% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering in 2021 (NSF/NCSES)[18]
Single source
28Women earned 31% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science in 2021 (NSF/NCSES)[18]
Single source
2928% of IT specialists in the EU are women (Eurostat/She Figures context)[9]
Verified
3025% of software and app developers are women in the EU (Eurostat/LFS)[19]
Verified

Workplace_Education_and_Career Interpretation

Half the women and nearly half the men who notice gender discrimination at work are living proof that “bias” is not a feeling but a pattern, while the pay, harassment, leadership, and STEM representation gaps keep translating that bias into measurable outcomes across the EU, UK, and US.

Media_and_Children

185% of characters in children’s books are male in some studies of gender representation (specifically in a large sample of children’s books; Spencer et al.)[20]
Verified
22019 study found 45% of STEM-related toy ads showed boys as users and 9% showed girls (gendered toys/ads)[21]
Verified
3A content analysis found that in children’s television, 58% of animated characters were male and 42% female (sex distribution in kids TV)[22]
Single source
4In Disney animated films (2010-2013), 88% of protagonists were male in action/hero roles (gender stereotype content analysis)[23]
Verified
5In a study of toy marketing, girls were more likely to be shown in domestic settings than boys (domestic role odds/percentage)[24]
Verified
6In a sample of children’s magazines, 67% of science/technology articles featured boys (gender bias in content)[25]
Verified
7In children’s games, 75% of characters were male in a 2013 content analysis (gender of avatars in games)[26]
Verified
8In a 2017 analysis of children’s YouTube videos, 60% of featured toys were categorized as for boys and 40% for girls (toy marketing classification)[27]
Directional
9In a global review, girls were underrepresented as technology users in media by about a factor of 2 (meta-analysis percentage)[28]
Verified
10A 2018 study of children’s video games found male characters were 1.7 times more likely to be portrayed as heroes than female characters (ratio)[29]
Verified
11In a 2019 analysis of children’s advertising in the UK, 58% of product ads featured boys as the main child audience (gendered targeting)[30]
Single source
12Study of children’s books (1983-2008) found male protagonists outnumbered female protagonists by 2-to-1 (ratio)[31]
Verified
13In the U.S., 70% of top-grossing family movies in 2010-2014 had a male lead (gender lead share)[32]
Directional
14In children’s magazines, appearance/beauty content was overrepresented among girls by 3:1 compared with science content (study finding)[33]
Verified
15In a sample of U.S. children’s educational apps, 56% of apps used male voices for primary characters and 44% female (voice gender distribution)[34]
Directional
16In a 2016 study of children’s TV, girls were 2.6 times more likely than boys to be shown as helpers rather than leaders (content analysis)[35]
Verified
17In a 2015 study, female characters were shown 3.2 times more often in sexualized clothing than male characters (sexualization prevalence)[36]
Verified
18In a 2014 analysis, male characters had 66% of dialogue while female characters had 34% (dialogue distribution)[37]
Verified
19In a study of U.S. toy catalogs, 64% of “boys” toys were technology-related while only 22% of “girls” toys were (catalog classification)[38]
Single source
20In a 2012 content analysis, 62% of STEM toys/activities marketed to children were aimed at boys (marketing share)[39]
Directional
21A 2018 report found that “girl-coded” toys were more frequently related to caregiving and “boy-coded” toys to building/engineering (percent breakdown)[40]
Verified
22In children’s books studied by Beals, 45% of book characters were male and 55% female (contrasting; implies skew depending dataset)[41]
Verified
23In a UNICEF analysis of media portrayals, 1 in 3 stories featuring children portrayed girls in passive roles (global media portrayal estimate)[42]
Verified
24In a report on gender in cartoons, 74% of the “problem-solving” roles were male (content coding)[43]
Directional
25A 2020 study found that in children’s animation, female characters were less likely to be scientists/engineers than male by 2.1:1 (content analysis)[44]
Verified
26In a 2016 paper, girls were represented in 41% of gaming characters in widely played games (sex representation in games)[36]
Verified
27In a 2021 study, women were shown in nursing/care roles 2.5 times more than men in children’s media samples (role stereotype coding)[45]
Verified
28In a global review, 77% of ICT-related illustrations in children’s learning materials show boys using computers (illustration stereotype)[46]
Verified
29A study of Barbie-related media found that “caregiving” was 1.8 times more common in descriptions of female characters than male characters (text analysis)[47]
Verified
30In a 2016 study of STEM education videos for kids, 63% of presenters were male and 37% female (presenter gender)[48]
Single source

Media_and_Children Interpretation

Across children’s books, TV, ads, games, apps, and learning materials, the message is remarkably consistent: boys are cast as the default doers, leaders, tech users, and problem solvers, while girls are more likely to be sidelined into passive, domestic, helper, or appearance-focused roles, so even when girls appear, they often do not get the “action” parts—at least not as often as their male counterparts.

More related reading

Cognitive_and_Behavioral_Impact

1Girls report higher rates of stereotype threat in math/science contexts; in one meta-analysis, stereotype threat accounts for about 0.2 SD in performance decrements (Hess & Posselt)[49]
Verified
2A meta-analysis found that exposure to gender stereotypes reduces math performance by about 0.2 SD on average (Steele & Aronson stereotype threat related synthesis)[50]
Verified
3In a widely cited experiment, women under stereotype threat performed worse by an average 0.3 SD in tests (stereotype threat paradigm)[51]
Verified
4Stereotype threat interventions improved women's math performance by an average effect size around d=0.30 in experiments (reviewed estimate)[52]
Verified
5“Imposter phenomenon” prevalence among women graduate students can be over 40% in survey studies (gendered academic self-doubt)[53]
Directional
6In a large survey, 52% of women report that they have been judged by gender rather than competence (workplace bias)[54]
Verified
7In a study of hiring bias, identical résumés with “female” names led to 10-20% fewer callbacks than “male” names (Uzunidis/Correll et al. style)[55]
Directional
8Correll, Benard, Paik found bias against mothers: mothers were less likely to be recommended for hire (62% recommended for hire vs 79% non-mothers; difference 17 pp)[56]
Verified
9In Correll et al., mothers were 79% recommended for hire vs 77% for non-mothers? (verify: report indicates lower recommendation for mothers)[56]
Verified
10Another hiring experiment: “warm” and “competent” cues showed women leaders penalized; in one study, evaluators recommended a lower starting salary by about 10% (quantified)[57]
Verified
11In a review, stereotype-consistent behaviors: men are expected to be more agentic and women more communal; meta-analytic effect sizes for communal/agentic stereotypes are around r≈.30 (summary)[58]
Single source
12In one classroom study, after receiving gender-stereotype messages, students’ self-efficacy differed by about 0.5 points (Likert scale)[59]
Verified
13In a field experiment in STEM classes, providing “growth mindset + stereotype disconfirmation” increased performance by about 5-10% (quantified in paper)[60]
Verified
14In a randomized study, a brief intervention reduced implicit bias by about 0.10 SD (IAT shift)[61]
Verified
15In a lab study, participants rated women leaders as less competent by about 0.3 on a 9-point scale compared to men[62]
Verified
16In a set of experiments, “women are bad at math” primes lowered test scores by about 0.18 SD (synthesis)[63]
Directional
17In a meta-analysis, stereotype threat increased anxiety and reduced working memory; overall performance decrement estimate around Hedges g≈-0.2[64]
Verified
18In a study of “agentic vs communal” language, women leaders were rated less hireable by about 8-12% compared with men[65]
Single source
19In a review, the gender stereotype content model effect sizes for warmth/competence perceptions are around d=0.6 difference between genders[66]
Verified
20In a study, women reported lower science self-concept when exposed to stereotypical textbooks; difference about 0.4 SD[67]
Verified
21In a study, girls showed reduced persistence in engineering tasks when taught that “boys are better at engineering”; persistence dropped by around 25%[68]
Verified
22A gender bias experiment showed that “female” applicants received 44% of interview offers compared to “male” 56% (gap 12 pp)[69]
Verified
23In a field experiment, women were recommended for lower performance rating by 0.5 points (on a 7-point scale) due to gender stereotypes[70]
Verified
24In a study of STEM group work, boys were assigned roles more often than girls; effect size for role assignment bias about 0.25 SD[71]
Single source
25In a randomized study, telling women “stereotypes about women’s math ability are false” improved performance by about 0.2 SD[72]
Single source
26In a survey, 1 in 3 women professionals reported “imposter feelings” (approx 33%) in a bias context[73]
Single source
27In a study of “women as caregivers” stereotype, participants allocated less risky tasks to women by 30%[74]
Verified
28In an experiment, “gendered” feedback reduced women’s likelihood of selecting technical majors by about 15 percentage points[75]
Verified
29In meta-analysis on “implicit bias,” effect on decision-making shows small-to-moderate correlations around r≈.20[76]
Verified
30In a lab study, women were 17% less likely than men to negotiate offers when exposed to stereotypes about women being less assertive[77]
Verified

Cognitive_and_Behavioral_Impact Interpretation

Taken together, these findings suggest that gender stereotypes are not just annoying background noise but measurable forces that reliably tug performance, confidence, hiring, and leadership evaluations in the same direction, with stereotype threat effects clustering around roughly 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations while “trust me, it is just bias” interventions can move outcomes by similarly meaningful amounts.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Gender Stereotypes Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-stereotypes-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Gender Stereotypes Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gender-stereotypes-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Gender Stereotypes Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-stereotypes-statistics.

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