Utah is growing, and with growth comes opportunities for our residents, businesses and communities. But if we design our cities and communities with a “one size fits all” mentality, women will continue to be disadvantaged. When we assume infrastructure and policies are gender neutral, we are ignoring the evidence. The research-packed book, “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men,” blows that assumption right out of the water.
Most city planners operate under the false premise that gender need not be considered when planning. According to a national survey conducted a few years ago of over 600 practicing United States city planners, nearly all of them (94%) reported their communities had comprehensive city plans. Yet only 2% reported that their plans gave specific attention to the needs of women. The research tells us, however, that men’s and women’s needs are often different, and making decisions around these differences is important in serving all residents in better ways.
Since women make up roughly half of the population, Utah should seize the opportunity to deeply consider the often-divergent needs of its people as decisions are made regarding planning and design, transportation, safety, and care work, to mention a few.
Take Denver for example. In a fairly recent report written by Downtown Denver Partnership, it said: “Planning for women … is smart design … Women also experience unique challenges when it comes to interacting with a downtown area: They are more likely to experience poverty, assume responsibility of caring for a family member, encounter harassment and juggle the demands of work and home.”
In recognizing how women’s needs may differ from men, they are creating more inclusive spaces.
Here are a few examples of how Utah could think more broadly: First, women often use public transportation differently than men. And women’s perceptions of safety are different from men’s when they use public transportation. For example, best practices include paying attention to the paths women frequently take during more vulnerable times of the day is critical to helping Utah women feel safe. As a state that is ranked as the 9th worst state for rape, safety is a real concern for most women.
In addition, women tend to take more trips out of their house and those trips are often shorter and different than men’s. Research has shown that women are about 80% more likely to make stops along their way as well for childcare drop-offs and pick-ups, school and doctor’s visits, groceries and other caregiving responsibilities. In fact, even snow plow routes have been shown to be gendered. A few years ago, I wrote a commentary titled “Can snow plowing be sexist? Yes it can!” It provides an example of gendered practices that were invisible to nearly everyone, and saved the town money once the disparities were addressed. Another commentary on design miscalculations shows that even our bathrooms favor men.
Another example of design decisions are displays of public art. At least a few years ago, less than 8% of U.S. public outdoor sculptures of individuals were women. This is most likely similar in Utah. One striking exception was one commission by Zions Bank that celebrates the impact of Utah women — past and present. In addition, only 28% of city streets (based on one study of 7 cities outside of Utah) had female names. It would be interesting to see what the percentage is in Utah. Diversifying monuments and landmarks helps women and girls see themselves in our communities.
Other planning topics that have been shown to have gender components include the design of housing units, community spaces, zoning regulations and other infrastructure development initiatives. Of great concern today is the allocation of resources for expanding child care capacity, which, at least in part, can be categorized as a design and planning issue.
What are some solutions to ensure that the planning and design of our communities are more thoughtful and meet the needs of all Utahns? Obviously, having women involved as key voices in the planning process is central to ensuring that more informed and inclusive decisions are made. This is a matter of priorities, not resources.
I was involved in Envision Utah’s efforts around planning for a fair and thriving Utah. Although this initiative focused primarily on race and ethnicity, their overall recommendations apply here (with my additions related to gender): First, facilitate broad and meaningful public engagement in the planning process and ensure that voices of all genders are considered. Second, foster welcoming communities with a variety of housing options. Third, design multimodal transportation systems which better support the needs of all Utahns, including women.
Whether or not we acknowledge it, the design of our communities is gendered. Moving forward we must consider all Utahns and not continue to default to male spaces and preferences. Just because something is not intentional doesn’t make it acceptable. Going forward, let’s make sure our decisions are not “one size fits all,” but tailor made so that all our Utah residents can have more opportunities to thrive.
Susan R. Madsen, Ed.D., is the inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership & Director, Utah Women & Leadership Project, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University.
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