While we have come a long way regarding women’s rights, there are still great strides that need to be made in order for gender equality to exist in the workforce. To recap my previous post, I mentioned three central problems surrounding the question of “gender and economic growth.” The first, and in my opinion the most primitive, is the gender pay gap. Women continue to make seventy-seven cents for every dollar a man earns. This issue makes little sense to me- how can America, one of the most advanced nations in the world, not provide equal pay for equal work? As I dug deeper into the issue I began to lose hope. How can we erase a problem deeply rooted in centuries old stereotypes? Conservatives in congress still believe it is the innate differences between men and women that cause us to make the life choices that we do, women still work less hours than men, and men still dominate the corporate ladder. It is going to be difficult to change these norms overnight. I believe we need to first give women all the tools they need to advance in the workforce. Sweden provides an excellent paradigm of how this can be accomplished. In Sweden, parents are provided with an extensive paid parental leave. This leave is shared between both the mother and the father, which is different from the US where often it is only the mother who is afforded maternity leave (and sometimes it is without pay). By providing both the mother and the father with paid childcare leave, the responsibility of parenting and working is divided evenly between spouses. As Sheryl Sandberg says it stereotypes will be abolished once “half our homes are run by men and half our institutions are run by women.”
The second issue I spoke of in my last blog post was with regards to the glass ceiling. Women are not advancing into leadership positions at the rate they should. Given the majority of bachelors and masters degrees are awarded to women, we should see that same statistic reflected in the job market. With my group from class, we discussed a new innovative solution that we think could be implemented here at City College. Growing up, I was always fortunate to go to the greatest schools and be surrounded by some truly inspiring female role models. This is not the case, however, for most women. We wish to start a mentoring program that would give young girls the motivation and support needed to advance to leadership positions. The program would start in high school. Women of success would visit girls and speak to them about their journey as well as provide them with opportunities to start their own success. We hope that once old enough, the same women who were once mentored will come back and mentor the next generation of young girls. The theory is that once young girls see women can be successful in leadership positions, they too will aspire to that same level of success. Just as men have created a great network, we hope to develop a strong female support chain.
References:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/22/can-the-gender-gap-be-solved.html
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100565268
I really liked you point regarding the equality in parental leave. I also agree that it is difficult to change our perception and stereotypes regarding gender roles. However, it is inevitable for this difficulty so our only solution is to help people change their perception now and spread the new ideas to the next generation. The idea of equalizing the parental role seems to be a step closer to equality because it leads to equal opportunity for both the male and the female to work and stay home. Therefore, I believe this idea should be implemented in more businesses.
Also, I like your idea on implementing mentorship program in City College. More women should step up and challenge the role of women in society and encourage young girls to reach for a higher status. If I would suggest anything, not only should female speakers and mentors help the students but as well as male staffs. Male’s that can speak out against the stereotype can allow students to realize that not all males are against the female authority.
Alyssa,
I think your group’s plan to set up a mentorship system in the City College community is a great idea. It is a truly innovative technique of attacking this glass ceiling. While I do believe that motivation and support are crucial, I don’t think that mentorship alone can change the shape of our workforce. I think that in order for this program to have a real effect, you must, as stated, make sure that opportunities are provided for these young women. Additionally, I think that women must be encouraged to pursue MBA’s. According to the Harvard Crimson, only 1 of every 3 MBA’s earned are earned by women. An MBA gives a man or woman the practical leadership or management skills needed to run a company. Therefore, while women are currently earning more bachelors and masters degrees, I think that in order for statistics to demonstrate in the long run women taking over management positions, women need to start pursuing MBA’s. I think that an increase in this area will demonstrate a direct correlation to women in management positions.
I really enjoyed your group presentation and this is greatly due to the fact that your idea is very plausible as CCNY is the perfect breeding ground for your support group. I believe, as you do, that girls are generally turned away from the STEM fields simply because they have few role models to seek advice and guidance from. I believe your group will facilitate and encourage young students to pursue studies and careers in the science and engineering fields which will prove to be beneficial not only to women but also to the field of engineering. The greater the variety of gender, nationality, religion, etc. the better it will be for any organization. While I do believe your idea has incredible potential to significantly impact many young women students, I feel as though a big name connection is necessary to inspire as many girls as possible. Perhaps a woman CEO, CFO or a high-ranking official would provide your group with the extra boost that would set you over the top and allow you to make serious strides with regard to aiding these young women students.