Supportive relations in a feminized occupation: How male and female veterinarians compare

Several traditionally male-dominated professions, including law and medicine, have experienced an influx of women over the last 30 years. We extend research on gender equality in the professions, which has often examined segmentation and stratification, by examining the integration of men and women into a traditionally male-dominated profession in terms of the emotional and instrumental support they receive from colleagues. We examine veterinary medicine as a case study because interestingly this profession has seen the most dramatic growth in the representation of women over the last 30 years - more than law or medicine. We also explore whether traditional masculine control tasks (clinic ownership and autonomy) and traditional female care tasks (animal care and client interactions) are related to integration. We analyze survey data from 384 Canadian veterinarians. Findings show that practice ownership and challenging client interactions are associated with reduced support for women, but not for men. In contrast, directly caring for animals is associated with more support for men, but this is not the case for women. We discuss the implications of differential levels of social support for the integration of women into traditionally male-dominated professions.