Emotional wellbeing, contentment and stability or happiness is not defined by gender. It rather depends on how one views her/his life. Emotional wellbeing, contentment and stability or happiness is a state of mind. If we have to categorize it among people we can find similarities among them which are guided by a sense of optimism.

Research shows that women are more likely to experience depression compared to men in nearly all countries around the world. Generally on an overall scale they have lower incomes, have generally a lower access to education, and are more likely to be widowed or divorced as compared to men. Many women would also have an awareness of a lack of gender equality. Based on literature, these things should cause women to be emotionally less content than men.

Through the 1960s and 70s many changes occurred around the world which undoubtedly improved women’s rights. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers found out that there was a paradox of declining female happiness in the decades after gender rights improved. In 2010 Rafael Levine and Alois Stutzer further discovered a similar pattern in Switzerland when it gave women the right to vote in 1971.

A national referendum (common for the Swiss) was passed in 1981 that mandated equal pay for equal work, giving them a natural experiment to explore its effects on gender differences in well-being. The authors were able to compare the differences in Swiss cantons that voted for the amendment versus those that did not. One would think that women would be happier in the cantons that voted for equal pay. Instead, the opposite occurred and female happiness fell precisely in those cantons, compared to those that did not vote for equal pay. This should not mean that gender equality and empowerment is not important or requisite. It is necessary and undeniable; the point of the discussion here is to reflect on the emotional strengths of the women.

Studies show that men have generally greater problem-solving abilities and cognitive-flexibility which can contribute to greater resilience and better mood. On the other hand, women’s reactivity to stress makes it harder for them to challenge and advance their thinking at times and this can reflect in symptoms of low mood. Psychologically it is an established fact that men and women differ in the way they process and express emotions. Except for anger, women experience emotions more intensely and share their emotions more openly with others. Studies have found that women express more compared to men. Expressing emotions such as gratitude, and expressing more is generally linked to greater happiness. This supports the theory that women’s happiness is more dependent on her expressions in relationships than men’s.

However, within these studies lies a significant blind spot which tells that women often do feel anger as intensely as men, but they do not express it openly. This is because it is not viewed as socially acceptable. When men feel angry they are more likely to vocalize about it and direct it at others, whereas women are more likely to internalize and direct the anger at themselves. Most of the time women ruminate over it rather than speak out. This is precisely where women’s vulnerability to stress and depression lies.

Females in general prioritize doing the right thing over expressing the frustrations. This indicates strongly that they have higher emotional resilience. Their ability to silently weather a storm allows them more maturity in their expressions in the relations. And since they express gratitude more often, they are generally emotionally more content and happier. Men are generally more inclined in their pursuit of pleasure and hedonism. Studies have also found that women tend to act more ethically than men and are more likely to suffer from feelings of shame if they are not seen to be doing “the right thing”. But female morality also leads them to engage in more fulfilling and impactful work. And this ultimately brings them greater joy, peace, and contentment.

As we can see, it is a complicated picture. It is not overselling to state that women are more sensitive to stress, more vulnerable to depression and trauma. Quite amazingly they are also incredibly resilient and significantly more capable of post-traumatic growth as compared to men. Studies show that this is due to their sociability and ability to connect at a deeper level with others; both male and female.

It is also important to recognize that despite these differences, the benefits of happiness are far-reaching for both women and men. Research shows that happiness is not merely the function of an individual matrix of experiences but it acts like ripples through social networks. Emotional wellbeing and contentment or happiness is infectious and contagious, and it is hence important to understand the role and the centrality of women in overall contentment in a society.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.