Even after death...

Q. How equal are the death rates between men and women?
A. I guess about 50/50 and I'm assuming so did you.


Q. What percentage of printed obituaries are women's?
A. Looking at the previous answer, I guessed 50% and I'm assuming so did you. We're wrong.


Even after their death, women are suffering gender-based injustices. According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, 73% of the obituaries printed are men. Only 27% of women make it into the obit. section (and it's not because we live forever...'cuz we don't...)


Timothy McNulty, Tribune public editor gives several reasons for why men appear more often in the obit. section than women.

"An institutional bias toward writing about "men of
accomplishment" usually translates to those who were business executives...Great
wealth or social position is, of course, a straight avenue to the obituary page
because of fame or perhaps others like to be reminded that you cannot take it
with you...


Men tend to die earlier and in closer
relation to their life's work, an extremely accomplished woman may live decades
longer and her work may be a distant memory for those who loved and respected
that work or activity... In their retirement they may move far from the city
where they are known and recognized for their achievements."

But don't worry ladies...the future looks optimistic and soon this lop-sided percentage will even out. Even McNulty thinks so.

"Until several decades ago, it was mostly men who decided what achievements
would be recognized and defined what was success. Though it may be small
comfort, that is changing and the names and faces in obituaries of the future
will reflect, I suspect, a different society."