Category Blog

Since 2019, women and mobility have increasingly been the topic of media formats, events and policies. The core message of the debates is: "Women get around differently than men"[1]Bersch, A.-K., & Osswald, L. (2021). An alle gedacht?! Frauen, Gender, Mobilität - Wie kommen wir aus der Debatte in die Umsetzung? Discussion Paper. TU Berlin.. But what does that mean exactly? What explains the different mobility behaviour and what does this mean for (planning the) transport transition?

Mobility behaviour of women

Transport statistics show significant gender differences in mobility behaviour [2]Best,H., & Lanzendorf, M. (2005). Division of labour and gender differences in metropolitan car use: An empirical study in Cologne, Germany. Journal of Transport Geography 13, No. 2:109-121.[3]Kawgan-Kagan, I., & Popp, M. (2018). Sustainability and Gender: A mixed-method analysis of urban women's mode choice with particular consideration of e-carsharing. Transportation Research ... Continue reading[4]Nobis, C., & Lenz, B. (2005). Gender Differences in Travel Patterns. Role of Employment Status and Household Structure. In Transportation Research Boards (Eds.), Research on Women's Issues in ... Continue reading. Das soziale Geschlecht kann in Kombination mit anderen sozio-demographischen Variablen wie Einkommen, Alter und Haushaltszusammensetzung Unterschiede in Bezug auf Dauer, Häufigkeit, Art und Zweck der Fortbewegung erklären. So machen Frauen im Vergleich zu Männern mehr Wege pro Tag, die Strecke dieser einzelnen Wege ist aber in der Regel kürzer. Des Weiteren fahren Frauen weniger Auto, gehen häufiger zu Fuß, fahren mehr mit dem Fahrrad oder nutzen eher den ÖPNV.

Dieses Mobilitätsverhalten von Frauen ergibt sich vorrangig aus dem Zweck der zurückgelegten Wege, welche überwiegend alltäglichen Erledigungen oder der Begleitung von mobilitätseingeschränkten Personen (Kinder und alte Menschen, Menschen mit Assistenzbedarf) dienen. Das weibliche Mobilitätsverhalten ist somit vielfältiger, sozialer und weniger linear.

Yet the differing purposes of travel also show something else: gender-specific mobility behaviour is not biological in nature, but the result of social roles and the gender-specific division of labour. This is why we now speak of gender-specific mobility behaviour, where gender describes the socially constructed sex.

Gender-specific mobility requirements

The social construction of gender and its associated expectations and tasks result in specific requirements for the transport infrastructure and means of transport. One gender-specific mobility requirement is safe and barrier-free infrastructures. These include protected bike lanes, wide pavements, ramps, lifts and wider doors. All these measures not only increase comfort for people with reduced mobility, but also the safety of the most vulnerable road users.

As women today are confronted with the demands of both reproductive and productive work, the possibility to flexibly combine different means of transport is particularly important. Due to the double burden, there is both a greater need for mobility and greater time pressure in mobility. These mobility requirements also apply to men who take on care work. Furthermore, significantly lower incomes and women's specific bodily experiences and fears associated with them, such as of assault in public spaces, result in further demands on mobility and the design of public spaces[5]Ypma, L. et al. (2021). Female Mobility. https://www.womeninmobility.org/femalemobility [06.06.2021]..

Unfortunately, these gender-specific mobility needs are still not sufficiently taken into account in the current planning of the transport sector and the design of new mobility options such as car sharing, ridepooling and the rental of e-scooters. Many new sharing options are often simply not compatible with the everyday life of many women. The consequence is that women use them less[6]Kawgan-Kagan, I. (2015). Early adopters of carsharing with and without BEVs with respect to gender preferences. European Transport Research Review 7, No. 33..

The obvious question is: Why are the different mobility needs not taken into account in planning and design?

The problem of automobility?!

The orientation of urban infrastructure towards the car which has prevailed since the 1950s negates the (mobility) needs of many non-automobile road users. Although the star-shaped planned and constructed transport connections of the cities enable a fast connection from the residential areas in the suburbs to the workplace in the city centre, they are only designed for a small group of mostly male commuters.

In combination with the technical developments of the automobile sector under the guiding principle of "faster, bigger and more efficient"[7]Canzler, W. (1996). Das Zauberlehrlings-Syndrom. Entstehung und Stabilität des Automobil-Leitbildes. Ed. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung. Berlin:sigma., the car is closely linked to a traditional image of masculinity[8]Brandt, U., & Wissen, M. (2017). Imperiale Lebensweise. München:oekem.. The car has become a symbol of male dominance or, in Judith Butler's words, a "male practice"[9]Butler, J. (1991). Das Unbehagen der Geschlechter. Gender Studies Edition. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. at the expense of other road users. And men are clearly more often the cause of serious and fatal accidents. This is also true of so-called peccadilloes such as drunk driving, speeding or illegal parking.

Die männliche Prägung des Verkehrssektors durch Automobilität und somit auch die Vernachlässigung anderer Mobilitätsbedürfnisse wird durch Gender Gaps in der Mobilitätsbranche verstärkt. Der Frauenanteil an allen Leitungsfunktionen im BMVI liegt bei 34 %[10]Meißmer, C. (2018). Gleichstellungsindex 2018. Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in den obersten Bundesbehörden. ... Continue reading, the share of women in urban planning is 33%[11]https://www.dabonline.de/2019/07/09/architekten-kammer-statistik-2018/ [06.06.2021]. and the share of women in board positions in the 50 largest transport companies is only 5.6[12]Kemfert, C., & Egerer, O. (2017). Frauen sind in Top-Positionen der größten Energie- und Verkehrsunternehmen in Deutschland deutlich unterrepräsentiert. DIW Wochenbericht Nr. 47. ... Continue reading. There has never been a female federal transport minister.

The shift from combustion engines to electric or hydrogen powered engines does little to change the low gender sensitivity in the transport sector and its transformation. In fact, the new propulsion technologies even contribute to the perpetuation of male structures and their associated socio-ecological consequences[13]Brandt, U., & Wissen, M. (2017). Imperiale Lebensweise. München:oekem.. Is the transport transition being driven by men for men?

So what now?

First of all, looking at gender aspects in mobility allows us to broaden the debate beyond ‘women's issues’. Looking at female mobility helps to identify structures and develop solutions that are not only good for women, but all people with mobility needs other than just commuting by car from home to work. But it is not quite that simple. Gender is not the only criterion that determines our behaviour and our realities of life, and the same goes for our mobility behaviour and needs. There are other social power relations, such as racist and capitalist structures, which have an influence on this. The sole cause of these problems cannot be found in automobility either.

To successfully implement the transport transition welcomed by many people in current surveys[14]https://www.dena.de/newsroom/meldungen/verkehrswende-umfrage-verbraucher-offen-fuer-politische-massnahmen-im-verkehrssektor [06.06.2021]. , individual and especially male privileges that are consolidated in automobility must be dismantled. The transport transition must not only focus on more ecological solutions, but also take into account the different possibilities and needs of women and marginalised groups. Inclusivity and consideration must be given more attention. We need a paradigm shift. After all, mobility enables participation in social life, serves the general interest and is thus a core element of a democratic, stable, just society. Policymakers, especially those responsible for urban and transport planning, must ensure everyone’s participation by representing all social groups and genders and taking into account other levels of discrimination such as origin and class.

Footnotes

Footnotes
1 Bersch, A.-K., & Osswald, L. (2021). An alle gedacht?! Frauen, Gender, Mobilität - Wie kommen wir aus der Debatte in die Umsetzung? Discussion Paper. TU Berlin.
2 Best,H., & Lanzendorf, M. (2005). Division of labour and gender differences in metropolitan car use: An empirical study in Cologne, Germany. Journal of Transport Geography 13, No. 2:109-121.
3 Kawgan-Kagan, I., & Popp, M. (2018). Sustainability and Gender: A mixed-method analysis of urban women's mode choice with particular consideration of e-carsharing. Transportation Research Procedia 31:146-159.
4 Nobis, C., & Lenz, B. (2005). Gender Differences in Travel Patterns. Role of Employment Status and Household Structure. In Transportation Research Boards (Eds.), Research on Women's Issues in Transportation. Report of a conference (p. 114-127). Washington, D.C.: TRB.
5 Ypma, L. et al. (2021). Female Mobility. https://www.womeninmobility.org/femalemobility [06.06.2021].
6 Kawgan-Kagan, I. (2015). Early adopters of carsharing with and without BEVs with respect to gender preferences. European Transport Research Review 7, No. 33.
7 Canzler, W. (1996). Das Zauberlehrlings-Syndrom. Entstehung und Stabilität des Automobil-Leitbildes. Ed. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung. Berlin:sigma.
8, 13 Brandt, U., & Wissen, M. (2017). Imperiale Lebensweise. München:oekem.
9 Butler, J. (1991). Das Unbehagen der Geschlechter. Gender Studies Edition. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
10 Meißmer, C. (2018). Gleichstellungsindex 2018. Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern in den obersten Bundesbehörden. https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Staat/Oeffentlicher-Dienst/Publikationen/Downloads-Oeffentlicher-Dienst/gleichstellungsindex-5799901187004.pdf;jsessionid=C9E9FBF6D8E9FB582DB32805D644918B.internet8732?__blob=publicationFile [06.06.2021].
11 https://www.dabonline.de/2019/07/09/architekten-kammer-statistik-2018/ [06.06.2021].
12 Kemfert, C., & Egerer, O. (2017). Frauen sind in Top-Positionen der größten Energie- und Verkehrsunternehmen in Deutschladn deutlich unterrepräsentiert. DIW Wochenbericht Nr. 47.  https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.570200.de/17-47-4.pdf [06.06.2021].
14 https://www.dena.de/newsroom/meldungen/verkehrswende-umfrage-verbraucher-offen-fuer-politische-massnahmen-im-verkehrssektor [06.06.2021].
EN