This comparative study examines how men’s attitudes toward gender equality shape their career choices across Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Sweden, with an emphasis on education. Using European Social Survey data, this study analyses survey responses from men, categorising their careers as masculine, feminine, or gender-neutral based on Eurostat/EIGE gender-segregation thresholds. The study reveals a positive correlation between higher education and support for gender equality, particularly in public and institutional contexts such as equal pay, workplace equality, and healthcare access. However, deeply rooted patriarchal norms persist in the private sphere, where caregiving and domestic responsibilities remain largely gendered. While Sweden demonstrates high overall support for equality, reflecting its advanced policies and cultural norms, post-socialist countries, especially Hungary and Slovakia, exhibit more traditional attitudes, influenced by historical, religious, and political contexts. Although higher education reduces overt sexism and gender stereotypes, it does not fully address benevolent sexism or cultural beliefs about traditional gender roles. The thesis underscores that formal education alone is insufficient to transform entrenched social norms without broader systemic and cultural changes. Media portrayals, state policies, and national identity narratives continue to shape perceptions of masculinity and femininity, limiting progress toward true gender equality, especially within private life and family structures.
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