More than one in five people feel that men should not work as beauty therapists, according to a recent study looking at gender perception in certain job roles.

The Attitudes in the Workplace study, which surveyed 2,000 people and was commissioned by WorldPay Zinc, revealed that when asked about what jobs men should not do, beauty therapy came top of the list, with 26 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women agreeing with the statement.

Of the participants, 18 per cent also said that they wouldn’t trust a male beauty therapist. and 32 per cent said they were suspicious of men choosing to work as a beautician.

The UK-based study discovered that on the whole people are prone to stereotyping men and women based on their gender. Strong opinions still exist today on which jobs are for men and which are for women, with the belief being that men would be better suited to a position as a plumber or an electrician, whilst women make better nurses, florists and beauty therapists.

The study did show a noticeable difference between the opinions of men and women. In both cases it is men who appear to be more conservative about men working in the beauty sector, while women appear to be more receptive to the idea of men taking on the role of what is traditionally a female role and vice versa.

“While the study suggests there is still a way to go before we are able to achieve equality in the workplace, attitudes are changing for the better,” said Geraldine Wilson, managing director of WorldPay Zinc. “While the study shows that some stereotypes are hard to shift, it’s great to see these preconceptions being challenged by some people.”