Living

Gender inequality is the issue of women being treated inferior to men. Women are often seen as unable to complete the roles set for men by society and are not granted equal chances. We should strive to allow for an increase in gender equality and a promotion of powerful young women in the leadership position.

There are many different instances of women being treated unequally and unfairly by their male counterparts; for example, unequal pay, sexual harassment, lack of promotions, etc. 

Women are often paid an average of 79 cents or 80 cents per every man’s dollar. This varies depending on the female’s ethnicity/race. For African American women, they are paid 64 cents per every man’s dollar, and Latina women even less with 54 cents (Wingfield). This shows us that even a women’s ethnicity or race can influence their pay check, which in turn effects them and their families while benefitting the sexist and corrupt company. Many companies also get away with this every year because there are so few organizations that are willing to help support women in their fight against unequal pay.

​ Sexual harassment and assault are also major issues that plague our nation today. According to Julie Wilson at As You Sow, “A survey conducted in January 2018 by the nonprofit Stop Street Harassment found 38 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, and 81 percent reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime, including verbal or physical assault.” Research has also found that women working in restaurants or with temporary work visas often face an increased chance of facing sexual harassment (Wilson).
When C.M. Hunt published her intervention model for sexual harassment in 2010, she concluded that sexual harassment has been ignored and pushed to the side instead of bringing it to people’s attentions. She also found that in order to decrease sexual harassment, the organization/establishment where the harassment was located needs to take charge and enforce stricter rules instead of teach women how to protect themselves (Hunt). 

Not only do the gender pay gap and sexual harassment affect women, but also gender based stereotypes and bias. According to Jordon Quick of Van Kampen Law, women are more likely to be seen in jobs with a more gentle touch like nursing assistants for personal care aids because they have a more “feminine nature.” We are also less likely to see women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields because they are seen as demanding and a “man’s job” (Quick).

Women are also not typically seen in higher positions such as manager. It is believed that only 85 women are promoted for every 100 men to a manager position. This means that only 38% of managers were women, with 62% being men. Women are also often pressured with higher standards. When the pressure is higher, an example is Covid-19, women in powerful positions are more likely to face an increase in harsh criticism and judgement. Most importantly, companies cannot afford to lose their female leaders. Multiple studies show that women leave positive impacts on workplaces and help increase a diversity in culture. Large amounts of these women also serve as mentors for younger generations of women waiting to become future world leaders (McKinsey and Company). Unfortunately, women are also less likely to be given a job over a male candidate (BBC). According to BBC, in the United Kingdom, 25% of people believe men have more of a right to a job than women. In India, 69% of people believe the same thing. These beliefs also impact women in political roles, as we have less women in political roles now than 2014. 27% of people believe men would make better leaders than women, which explains why so few women are active in the world’s political positions.