Introduction: This study explores the phenomenon of envy directed towards the opposite sex. Envy is a complex emotion that can manifest in various forms, often reflecting societal and biological influences. Previous research suggests a potential imbalance in the domains where men and women experience envy.

Methods: The research was conducted in the Czech Republic using a demographically representative sample of 1,769 individuals (867 men and 902 women). Respondents were asked what they envied about the opposite sex, and qualitative analysis was performed on their answers. A total of 32 distinct categories of envy were identified.

Results: The analysis revealed significant differences between men and women in the nature of their envy. Women expressed envy towards men in domains linked to biological conditions and social advantages, such as salary, prestige, physical strength, and the absence of menstruation, childbirth, and menopause. Men, on the other hand, envied women for their physical attractiveness, ease of seduction, ability to perform traditionally female tasks, and motherhood. Some categories, such as safety and tolerance, were shared by both genders, but the underlying reasons differed. For instance, women envied men for not having to fear being alone, while men envied women for being protected by men.

Discussion: These findings confirm existing evidence of a gender imbalance in envy. The study also uncovered a novel form of envy, termed “ablative envy”, which refers to the desire for the absence of an unpleasant quality. This suggests that envy between the sexes is deeply rooted in both biological and social factors, offering new insights into gender dynamics.

Introduction

Despite the fact that contemporary society is more open-minded (Charlesworth and Banaji, 2022), sex inequality remains a significant and pressing issue (UNDP, 2018). The roles that society ascribes to us, whether indirectly or explicitly, have a significant impact on various aspects of our lives. We are informed of the roles we are expected to fulfil, the manner in which we are to behave, the way in which we are to dress, and even the emotions we are to experience (Brody, 1993). The company enforces compliance with these standards. The violation of these norms is met with social sanctions that elicit negative emotions such as shame, anger, and sadness. The qualities that are highly valued by society in one sex may be perceived as indications of weakness or inadequacy in the other (Wen et al., 2020). The reason that led us to observe these issues were narrative stories with manifestations of emotions and imbalances that we started to observe in our intervention-therapy and pedagogical practice over several years. We decided to focus more on this phenomenon, which probands named as envy. However, after studying the research and literature already conducted, we came to the conclusion that researchers were not directly addressing this topic. Based on our findings, we hypothesized that there are differences in the object and frequency of envy between men and women. The research question was straightforward: “What do you envy in the other sex?”

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