Gender Identity of Men in Nontraditional Occupations for Men: Transformation of Gender Stereotypes

The proposed study focuses on nontraditional career choices made by men. Specifically, it examines the gender identity of men occupied as hairdressers. Motives, interactions with colleagues and clients, the process of gender identity formation that often underpin these nontraditional careers are also investigated. The data obtained through in-depth interviews with men who are employed as hairdressers. The results showed that men experience the compensatory type of masculinity because, on the one hand, they distance themselves from women, prove their professional status, attribute traditionally masculine traits to their profession, and on the other hand, men do emotional work and care for clients. Men face gender stereotypes about their sexual orientation during the interaction with clients. Four motives of nontraditional career choices have been identified: a financial motive, the motive of preference in hiring, the motive of self-realization and the "out-of-age" motive.