"Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men" by Caroline Criado Perez illuminates a critical yet often overlooked aspect of modern society: the gender data gap. This illuminating work reveals how a world largely designed by and for men results in systematic disadvantages for women, impacting everything from urban planning to healthcare. Perez meticulously demonstrates that the lack of gender-specific data leads to a "one-size-fits-all" approach that defaults to male norms, often with perilous consequences for women.

Perez's analysis begins with a startling revelation: the world we inhabit is skewed towards male experiences and needs. The book delves into various sectors, from transportation to technology, illustrating how data collected predominantly from male perspectives leads to designs and decisions that fail to accommodate women effectively. This male-centric worldview isn't just inconvenient; it can be dangerous. For example, the author highlights how crash test dummies, modeled on average male bodies, compromise women's safety in automotive designs.

The author then explores the implications of this bias in the workplace. She uncovers how workplace norms and structures, designed with the 'default male' in mind, create environments where women's needs and contributions are routinely overlooked. This ranges from the design of office spaces to the evaluation of job performance, often disregarding the different ways women may work or the additional challenges they face, like balancing work and family commitments.

Perez also sheds light on the healthcare sector, where the gender data gap can have life-threatening consequences. Medical research historically focuses on male subjects, leading to a lack of understanding of women's specific health needs and symptoms. This gap results in misdiagnoses and inadequate healthcare solutions for women, revealing a deeply entrenched bias in what is often considered an objective field.

Gender Data Gap ...