Is The Reaction To Gender Discrimination In Australia A Moral Panic?

IS THE REACTION TO GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN AUSTRALIA IS AN EXAMPLE OF A MORAL PANIC? Student’s Name Course Professor’s Name University City (State) Date Is The Reaction to Gender Discrimination in Australia is an example of a Moral Panic? Gender disparity and discrimination remain a critical issue in many societies throughout the world. In a society where gender discrimination exists, there is an uneven treatment of people based on their gender. In Australia, gender discrimination is marked by the inconsistensies of individuals in a society based on their gender, hindering their abilities to fully contribute and get involved in society. Various aspects of inequalities and gender discrimination are experienced by various individuals in Australia. These individuals can either be men, women, transgender or genderqueer people, who, at any time, may experience discrimination in the society. Gender discrimination poses a great threat to society due to the restrictions and limiting of opportunities for certain individuals based on their gender. As a result, Australia is at the forefront to achieve gender equality and eliminate gender-based discrimination that conspicuously threatens the general welfare and success of the discriminated individuals. This essay will argue that gender discrimination in Australia is an example of moral panic, by analyzing the five theories of Goode and Ben‐Yehuda given in their book, Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Qeviance . Societies are often gripped by moral panics that prompt certain behaviors and societal actions to be witnessed. These behaviors are portrayed as control measures against looming threats that endanger society. According to Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009), these threats are provoking and often evoke episodes of “heightened emotion, fear, dread, anxiety, hostility, and a strong feeling of righteousness” (p. 35). The fear of far-reaching consequences causes the entire society or segments of the society to respond with the intention of resolving the issues. Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009) also point out the five platforms or channels through which oral panics are expressed, including the media, the citizenry, political involvement, social engagements, and the involvement of law of enforcement channels (p.49). Social panic is a controversial area that occasionally overlaps with certain criminal activities that are subject to close scrutiny. Also, the five elements of moral panic, namely, concern, hostility towards the ‘evil doers’, societal consensus, disproportion, and volatility, define the limits of what characterizes moral panic (Goode and Ben-Yehuda 2009). In this discussion, certain aspects of the reactions to gender discrimination in Austalia are weighed against the listed elements of moral panic. Australia is among the countries leading in promoting gender equality across all sectors. Notably, the country was ranked 35th on the global index in 2017 in terms of gender inequality and discrimination. A report by the Australian Human Rights Commission indicates that various achievements have been met in various fields, including in universities, at workplaces, in the government, and in boardrooms, where an increasing number of women are taking up leading positions (The Australian Human Rights Commission 2018). Feather and Boeckmann (2007, p.32) note that the historical inequalities in Australia can be linked to the traditional patriarchal beliefs, gender roles and associated stereotypes, and the relations between men and women in the society. Some of the notable steps taken to promote gender equality in Australia include the 1984 Sex Discrimination Act, and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (The Australian Human Rights Commission 2018; www6.austlii.edu.au n.d.; Workplace Gender Equality Agency n.d). While these could be counted as considerable improvements, more need to be done to reduce cases of gender discrimination. Various societal elements stand out as the main aspects that contribute to a moral panic in Australia. Some of these aspects face many individuals based on their gender. For example, women are discriminated in various ways, including the gender pay gap where women’s pay is relatively lower, work-based segregation and unpaid roles, increased violence against women, and relatively lower retirement payouts (The Australian Human Rights Commission 2018; The Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2017). On the other hand, men are faced with specific discriminatory issues such as higher likelihood to suffer from mental issues, and addiction, high crimes and imprisonment rates, and homelessness (Homelessness and men 2016; Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017; Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007). Transgender and genderqueer people are also exposed to certain aspects of gender disparity and inequality including heightened discrimination from the society, increased episodes of adverse mental health occurrences, poor access to adequate medical attention and difficulties in finding employment opportunities (Hyde et al. 2014,p .52; Finchannel.com 2018). The societal aspects have traceable features that are similar to the characteristic elements of moral panic. The society at large has experienced a rise of awareness and increased attention has been given to the victims of gender discrimination. Some of these reactions are due to an increase in public awareness, and practical policy-driven effects that aim at reducing the negative consequences perpetrated by gender discrimination (Dagistanli and Milivojevic 2013, p. 231). Some of the actors responsible for the widespread social reactions regarding moral panic include the use if the popular media, the criminal justice agencies, increase in political involvements and involvement of the law enforcement agencies (Dagistanli and Milivojevic 2013, p. 230). Feminist scholars and activists have also been actively engaged particularly in airing their concerns regarding sexual victimization of women on the society, while at the same time shunning any association of their reactions to moral panic to avoid under-emphasis on the real sufferings of the victims (Dagistanli and Milivojevic 2013, p. 230). These channels qualify as the five spheres defined by Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009) in terms of expressing moral panic. Nonetheless, there are multiple underlying issues and societal aspects that push certain reactions that are linked to moral panics in Australia. Societal concerns about gender discrimination usually depend on the provided evidence and public awareness of the issue. The level of concern also determines the degree of the supposed threat or certainty of a threat. Kennedy et al. (2017, p.16) note four drivers responsible for the persistence of the wage gap in Australia. These include direct discrimination of women by giving limited managerial positions, indirect discrimination against women, for instance, by failing to provide adequate flexibility in their work arrangements, occupational segregation across various sectors and industries, and finally, gender income inequality despite similar training and work experiences (Charlesworth & Macdonald 2017, p. 16-7). These four aspects form definite degrees of concerns and threats that need to br resolved in order to eliminate imminent consequences, thus characterizing the reaction as a moral panic. Current reaction to gender discrimination in Australia indicates prejudices and discrimination in approaches to gender reactions despite multiple efforts to bridge the gender gap. The society’s cultural beliefs and ideologies determine the relationship, and coexistence of power differences between different genders in Australia. According to Glick and Fiske (2001, p.116), these relations lead to the development of hostile and compassionate ideologies between the genders. This hostility is a characteristic element put forward by Goode and Ben‐Yehuda in regards gender panic. Additionally, socie...