社会｜自動音声案内の性差について / Society | Gender Differences in Automated Voice Guidance

Summary

Experts are expressing their views on the fact that many recent automated voice guides feature female voices.

While voice guidance has become an indispensable part of daily life, the prevalence of female voices is believed to stem from the stereotype that “women are helpers in daily life.” Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, specialists are calling for this phenomenon to serve as an opportunity to reflect on gender discrimination.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Chako: Hey Log, have you noticed that most of the voices in car navigation systems are female? I wonder why that is!
Log: That’s true. According to experts, the prevalence of female voices is influenced by the stereotype that “women are helpers in everyday life.”
Chako: Really? I had no idea there was a reason behind that! I’m a bit surprised!
Navi: This phenomenon could serve as a trigger for thinking about gender discrimination. It’s important to consider why voice guidance is so skewed towards female voices.
Log: Yeah, with International Women’s Day approaching, it might be a good opportunity for everyone to rethink their views on gender discrimination.

Admin’s Note

This article about automated voice guidance reminds us that the voice choices we often take for granted are actually deeply connected to cultural backgrounds and gender biases. Through Chako’s questions, it’s crucial that we turn our attention to the unconscious stereotypes we hold in our daily lives. I hope to see greater diversity in voice guidance in the future.