There is a lot of debate about the connection between gender and self-esteem. One common idea is that women tend to have lower self-esteem than men because they often have a lower self-image and are more likely to dislike their bodies. While this may be true on some level, overall self-esteem does not seem to be dictated by gender. Women and girls have equal or greater self-esteem when it comes to aspects of intelligence and abilities in reading, math, science, and other areas. In many widespread studies, there was no marked connection between gender and self-esteem.
One of the main reasons women are perceived to have lower self-esteem than men is due to the fact that females are seen as being torn between their possible roles as a wife and mother and as a professional outside of the home. This may have had more validity before the woman's movement, but based on several studies, both young and older women do not feel pressure because of these dueling roles. They seem to have come to accept each role as part of themselves and work to find balance between the two. Many women have a greater sense of achievement and higher self-esteem when they are successful at doing this.
Another reason women are viewed to have lower self-esteem than men is because they are more likely to have a poor body image. While it is true that society in most cultures places more of an importance on a woman's looks than on a man's, women are more or equally as confident as men in other areas of their lives. For instance, men may be less confident in their ability to provide for themselves or their families since they often have more pressure in this area.
Despite some early reports that there was a strong link between gender and self-esteem, there are other factors that are much more likely to impact a person in this area. Those who were abused, neglected, bullied, or teased are more likely to have self-esteem issues. This is also true for children and adults who are placed in foster care, since they often have feelings of not belonging or not being loved. Additionally, some mood disorders and mental illnesses can also lead to low self-esteem, and all people have negative feelings about themselves at one time or another.
Potential connections between gender and self-esteem in those who have been abused or bullied have been studied, and even in these cases confidence is often more dependent on a person's psychological makeup than on gender. Some people are naturally more sensitive to such experiences than others. Although there may be certain connections between gender and self-esteem in certain areas, men and women have been found to be equally confident overall.
