Women are more charitable than men: it's official!
 Just seen an interesting news item on the main Oxfam site (which is also featured on the BBC website) which says that "millions of women" across the UK want to do more to end global poverty after the events of 2005. As the press release says: "The aftermath of the tsunami, the Kashmir earthquake and the Make Poverty History campaign, has triggered a groundswell of people who want to take action. Women and young people are in the forefront - 26 per cent of women say they now have a greater inclination to support a charity, and 40 per cent of young people agree."
And the release says that women are more charitable than men, too. "More than a quarter of women donate to charity on a monthly basis, compared with one in five men, and 55 per cent of women put their hands in their pockets on an ad hoc basis in contrast to 47 per cent men." But women do more than just give money. They also played a key role in the Make Poverty History campaign - 15 per cent wore a white band, compared to nine per cent of men."
So, what do you think? Are girls really more charitable than boys? Or is this giving the men a bad name?
posted at 1:25 PM
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5 comments
Comments:
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I think it's probably true, which is a bit sad really! It's a cliché to say that Women are the more caring sex, but it's a cliché that's based in fact. Among my friends it's the girls who will care more about whats going on in other parts of the world, and will want to do something about it. That's not to say the boys don't care, but they might be a bit more cynical...
By ,
January 20, 2006 4:04 PM
I totally agree with what the first commenter said. Thankfully, the differences in those statistics weren't all that big though.
By Edd,
January 20, 2006 9:50 PM
Sadly I'm inclined to agree that women are more compassionate and also more charitable. Where did it all go wrong guys? Probably something to do with the fact that being charitable hasn't traditionally seemed 'Manly'. Well if you think about it... all that is, is rubbish!
By G,
January 24, 2006 11:14 AM
I think that although girls probably do mature quicker than boys earlier on in life, I also think you have a point Gareth when you say that not being charitable seems to be a negative male stereotype. It doesn't make men any less caring or giving than women, it just means that boys have a harder time breaking out of traditional roles.
And remember that to make up for the wrongs of the past the media often tries to be politically correct, and so often doesn't portray men in a very good light. It's insulting to men and patronising to women, but I don't think these statistics mean anything.
By Maddy,
February 24, 2006 4:09 PM
If teenage girls are charitable its seen as 'cool' and caring, if boys donate to charities they loose their 'hard' masculine image as, at least within my friendship group, spending time worrying about other people and the environment is considered somewhat 'airy fairy' and feminine. Maybe these stereotypes continue into adulthood?
The statistics aren't very conclusive though as the results are only based on 2000 people!
By ,
February 24, 2006 4:31 PM
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