Le donne marittime: fra stereotipi di genere, discriminazioni e scarse opportunità occupazionali

The presence of women in the maritime world has been systematically canceled for centuries, overshadowed or, if recognized, even objectified. Although today they can actually be hired as seafarers on board, there are still some cultural barriers. This paper analyzes the main concerns about the living and working conditions of women seafarers in order to promote research on this topic, still poorly explored. At the basis of the exclusion of women from the maritime environment there is a dense network of stereotypes and social beliefs that identify gender roles and they attribute women opposite characteristics to the male ideal type. The space of the ship, the highly hierarchical power structure, the confinement and the exaltation of “hegemonic masculinity” determine an environment in which women are generally identified as inadequate compared to male colleagues. They are often the object of harassment and aggression, discrimination and inequality in employment.
The maritime sector is one of the world’s most profitable. However, it has significant gray areas. It is a symptom that huge movements of capital do not automatically correspond to better living conditions for the employed crew. Among the many critical elements there is gender segregation. Furthermore, due to numerous issues, men and women seafarers represent an invisible category to the eyes of international safeguards. To achieve a more diverse workforce, it is essential that women are visible.