Stereotype Threat and Minorities in an Iranian male-dominated company; ۲ case studies

People spend almost half of their day at work or in contact with colleagues. Therefore, due to the impact that interactions have on the physical and mental health and efficiency of people, the importance of healthy and respectful interaction is felt more than ever. Myriad studies have shown, women and gender minorities are often not welcomed in male-dominated workplaces, or/and are subjected to verbal and physical abuse because of gender stereotypes. However, due to the culture and criminality of non-heterosexual gender identities in, there is a lack of research that investigates the experience of sexual minorities and women in Iran. These two case studies were undertaken to document the experiences of working in a male-dominated company as a woman and as a gay man and the way they deal with social pressure and distress. Stereotype threat was found to be a critical barrier to job satisfaction and mental health. Establishing and developing culture-based interventions and education is recommended.

Keywords:

stereotype threat , minorities , male-dominated workplace , mental health