Women must "normalise conversations about investing" as £567bn gender investment gap widens
Essex financial advisor, Bola Sol, explains how outdated gender stereotypes portrayed in media plays a key role.
We're hearing from an Essex financial advisor that "women need to start normalising conversations about investing" as £567bn gender investment gap continues to widen.
On-screen depictions of finance and investing play a key role in perpetuating the gender investment gap, according to new research by King’s Business School (KBS).
The study analysed major films and series about finance and investing from the past 15 years – including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short and recent BBC hit Industry.
It found three quarters of screen time is occupied by male financial experts, who comprise 64% of the experts portrayed on screen.
Almost half (47%) are CEOs, while there is not a single female CEO.
Overall, three quarters of women are depicted as supportive or ancillary characters: wives, partners, administrative assistants, or in sexualised roles (strippers and mistresses).
While over 85% of active parenting in the films and series is taken care of by mothers, not a single female character who is a financial expert has a child.
Money expert from Essex, Bola Sol, tells Greatest Hits Radio:
"Are we talking about how we're investing and what we're investing in?
"We're calling on all women in the UK who already invest to have one conversation with a female friend, family member, or colleague.
Figures show men have an average of 35% more in their pension pots than women.
Bola continues: "it's key we're having honest discussions to help dispel the myth that investing isn't for everyone, because it is."
"I think it's also a confidence thing too. The research shows if we look at on-screen portrayals of finance, it's quite male-dominated. For that reason, women may feel like this isn't targeted at me.
"It's key we're taught about investing from a young age."