girls are still less likely than boys to choose scientific and technological fields of study and when they do are less likely to take up highpaying jobs in those fields these choices are informed by stereotypes about suitable occupations for girls rather than based on ability stereotypes that define caregiving as quintessentially female and maternal seem to be much harder to dislodge than those around breadwinning previously seen as a male domain increasing numbers of women are adopting what are widely seen as masculine lifestyles and patterns of work by engaging more intensively in the labour market however men are not to the same extent taking on greater responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work widely seen as feminine