Gender inequality affects not only both genders, but also the economical development of societies. Time and time again, studies show the positive effects of having a mixture of both men and women in the workplace. In this post, I will address three problems that perpetuate the stereotypes that influence women’s participation in employment and society.
One of the most well-known issues of women in the workplace is the wage gap between men and women. Women still earn up to thirty percent less than men for the same work [1]. The average woman makes 77 cents for every dollar that a man makes. Our current president Barack Obama made it one of his goals to tackle this issue, using the slogan “equal pay for equal work” [2]. This mentality, however, is not reflected in his place of work – the White House. Studies show that women in Congress get paid 83 cents compared to a dollar a man in Congress makes. Perhaps the president should focus on fixing the wage gap within Congress before attempting to fix the overall issue – it would certainly send a much better message. A recent Harvard University study illustrated that a male’s resume received better approval and a higher salary offer than a women’s resume that was exactly identical in terms of experience and education [2].
Although women are getting college degrees faster than men, they still only constitute 44% of the workforce [4]. Moreover, the vast majority of leadership roles are possessed by men, and this is due to a number of factors. Studies show that women consistently underestimate their own abilities in comparison to men. They will very often attribute their success to external factors, such as luck and hard work, while men attribute it to themselves. This makes a huge difference because men are more likely to reach for opportunities, such as promotions. Another important factor is that, for some innate reason, success and likability are positively correlated for men, but negatively correlated for women [3]. Having women in managerial positions, however, has positive effects on companies. According to a study conducted by the U.N., businesses with women on their executive boards make four percent more profit and have more stable businesses than those that do not [4]. Women are also less likely to pay or accept bribes, resulting in less corruption.
Gender inequality is not just a women’s issue — it is also a men’s issue. Men very often confuse the term gender equality with women’s equality, and thus do not consider it as their issue. Many would argue that men are the center of this issue and must therefore cease being mere bystanders in the perpetuation of women stereotypes [5]. Victims of sexual harassment or abuse very often blame themselves instead of blaming the person who hurt them. An example is the disappearance of Jill Meagher, who went missing while making the short five minute walk from a bar to her home in Brunswick [6]. When her disappearance was publicized, people began commenting that it was her fault for leaving a bar so late, for drinking, for wearing suggestive clothing, and for a myriad of other reasons that a man wouldn’t be blamed for. We are a society that places the blame on women for getting into dangerous situations instead of blaming the attacker. We need to investigate the roles of the various institutions that shape men’s mentality, including the societal aspects and stereotypes. The attached video features a world in which the gender roles are reversed, and it is truly an eye-opener.
References:
[1] http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/09/women-future-cities-new-york-keys-to-empowerment
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsB1e-1BB4Y
[3]https://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders#t-408032
[4] http://europeandcis.undp.org/blog/2013/07/01/gender-inequality-how-much-does-it-affect-development-in-europe-and-central-asia/
[5] https://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue#t-818939
[6] http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/can-we-please-stop-the-victim-blaming-20120925-26izn.html
I really like your comment about gender inequality being a men’s issue as well as a women’s issue. Men often lack interest or initiative when considering their role in society’s complete discrimination of women. They often do not realize that they are victimized just as much as women are in society, in that they are forced to behave as perpetrators of injustice. Therefore, when discussing solutions to this problem, I think the best way to create progress is through campaigns that involve men and try to evolve their understanding of gender inequality. An example of this kind of program would be the He for She movement.
In terms of your comment about women’s lack of motivation in entering certain work fields, I agree that often times women attribute their success to external factors and undermine themselves. However I do believe the issue is more complex. When confronted with a conservative society that traditionally undermines women, it would make perfect sense that women undermine themselves. Therefore, the solution to this problem will not only include progress on the individual level, but a unanimous shift in consciousness for society as a whole.
Denise, I really loved the video you posted. It was very powerful. It is often hard for men to understand the oppression and abuse women receive on a daily basis. Seeing it from the vantage point of their gender is a great way to drive home the message. I also liked what you said about women attributing their success to outside forces. This may be discouraging them from grabbing the opportunities that come their way. Perhaps a good way to combat that is to create a place where women can talk to other successful women about their successes. I think often the problem is that women do not stand up for one another. Pressures from other mothers, mothers who stay at home and raise their children in the more traditional sense, make working moms feel guilty. We need to create some type of support system for women who want it all – both children and success. In this way, the powerful women of the world can raise each other up. So while I agree with your point that men need to stand up for women, I don’t think this will be accomplished until women stand up for other women.