The reading gender gap: men rarely read books by women, women read both equally

The gender bias in reading: men rarely read women, women read both

In 2021, an article by Mary Ann Sieghart in The Guardian, based on Nielsen Book Research data, exposed an uncomfortable gap: men hardly ever read books written by women, while women read authors of both sens in almost equal proportions. In Spain, where there are no official studies broken down by the author's sens, the debate is fueled by perceptions and anecdotes.

Disinterest or discrimination?

Opinions are divided. On one side are those who argue that women's literature tends to be more intimate, focused on relationships and emotions, which doesn't match mainstream male tastes: "If the plot doesn't grab me, the author's sens doesn't matter." On the other, those who see a deeply rooted cultural bias: "From childhood we're taught that what women write is less serious." The debate heats up when quotas or mandates come up: "Forcing people to read by gender is totalitarianism."

Data and pseudonyms

The Nielsen research shows that men make up only 20% of readers of fiction written by women. Women, by contrast, split their reading 50/50. One curious case that comes up is Carmen Mola, a pseudonym hiding three men, whose novels were bestsellers and critical hits, which some use as proof that "if the work is good, it doesn't matter who signs it." Others reply: "If I had known they were men, I wouldn't have read it."

Self-admitted male bias

Several commenters admit without embarrassment that they deliberately avoid female authors: "I know I won't like them, so I don't even try." This attitude contrasts with those who insist the author's sens is irrelevant and the real issue is quality: "I read essays, I don't look at genitals." The thread makes it clear that, for many men, literature written by women simply falls outside their interests, whether because of content, style or prejudice.

The question left hanging: if tomorrow all female authors wrote thrillers or science fiction, would men's reading habits change? The debate offers no answer, only clashing certainties.

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