Britany Morocho
Ms. Megan Skelly
English Composition
October 31, 2019
To what extent is there true equality between wages in the labor force for both men and women?
Throughout history women and men have been given certain roles in society. Women have been inferior to men while men themselves have been depicted as the bread winners throughout many years. As time went on, movements for gender equality began to appear and both men and women had different mind sets about it.
Stereotypes grew among communities with the language, clothing and choices that defined each gender. Men and women had a difficulty trying to settle such differences yet on a level were resolved. However, one topic out of multiple that remain unresolved is the wage gap between both men and women. There have been differences about how much men earn compared to the earnings of a women. Factors that included to this controversy were superiority of each gender, children, education and wage differences. This developed other problems that caused a bigger division in the thought of equality for each gender. Many have tried to solve this issue but are unable to fully accomplish it since it always ends up either benefitting men or women but not both at the same time.
Dominance
As prior stated men have been dominant to women for many years. Men have been illustrated as the face of society and have made most of the choices for each community. According to the article, The Impact of Structural Racism in Employment and Wages on Minority Women’s Health by Ruqaiijah Yearby, “structural racism operates at the societal level and is the power used by the dominant group to provide members of the group with advantages, while disadvantaging the nondominant group”. There’s no equality if one group is greater than another. Men will be considered superior, creating the same mindset on other’s which would lead to women being left behind with no real voice in their communities. This inequality leads to sexism developing between both men and women. ‘The dominant group uses structural racism not only to obtain resources, such as employment and wages, but also to limit the nondominant group’s access to these resources” (Yearby). If men are viewed as more than women, this creates a greater advantage when finding jobs and the amount of money that each earns. This creates a favoring process rather than who has a greater capability of accomplishing the job in certain cases. From this there’s not much of an equality for women as they are perceived as the weaker gender.
Education
The education gain by each gender also contributes to the equality of wage earned by both sides. If both male and female have the same level of education, then there should not be a gap in the wage earned. However, if there’s a difference in the level of education reached, a wage gap would be fair. The journal, Discrimination by gender and disability status: do worker perceptions match statistical measures? by Kevin F. Hallock, Wallace Hendricks and Emer Broadment, explained that “the gender wage differential is rather insignificant when employees are inexperienced and it amplifies with their age, whereas the gender wage differential for employees who work uninterruptedly full time declines with age”. Those who have a greater knowledge in certain areas are in the position of earning more than those with less experience. Additionally, the wage gap diminishes among older people since they have a higher experience and no competition with new employers. Supporting the statement, in an interview with a non-profit organization called, Women Creating Change, said that “individuals that have more experience or perform highly in qualified jobs will make more money than those who hardly have an education”. From this it can be shown that those with a higher experience will gain more trust of their bosses because they will know what they’re doing allowing for their chances of a higher paycheck to increase. While those with less experience are viewed as rookies that still can’t compete at the same level as other co-workers. However, it should remain equal if both a woman and a man have the same level of experience and education instead of giving everyone a different wage. There’s no equality comparing a young person to an older person in the same job. The level of education may be the same but the years into the job may differ creating different wages that are acceptable.
The education received affecting the gender wage gap also depends on the type of career each gender is pursuing. There is a difference in the jobs that are more acceptable for men and women. “Men and women make different choices that are often gender related than as a matter of free will for their own well-being” (Women Creating Change). Men often study in fields and are hired in jobs such as being doctors, engineering or architecture while when women “are hired, they are disproportionately employed in low-paying occupations, such as childcare, nursing, cleaning, waitressing, and teaching” (Yearby). Both men and women are influenced to choose a career which most of their gender seems to be displayed in. This results in women at times choosing jobs with low wages rather than taking a risk of pursuing a career in a more challenging field. Men as well often choose careers that will pay them more rather choosing a job that they will enjoy. Both men and women choose careers that are praised within their gender and society.
Children
Another factor that contributes to the inequality of wages would be the means of taking care of a family. Women often prioritize their children instead of work. According to a website called, Women’s earnings drop after having a child—but men’s do not by Abigail Hess, “many economists explain that this motherhood penalty occurs because women are still expected to do a majority of the work to raise and take care of children. These social rules may force women to prioritize taking care of their families over pursuing high-paying careers”. Women have a sense of helping their families, specially their children grow while they don’t worry about achieving more for themselves. Society to an extent additionally, expects women to stay home and pay more attention to what goes around the house. The website, The Narrowing, But Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay by Nikki Graf, Anna Brown and Eileen Patten states that “those who took leave from work. . . following the birth or adoption of their child, 25% of women said this had a negative impact at work, compared with 13% of men”. There’s little impact to men as they are not as responsible of taking care of their children as much as a mother would. Men can attend their job within a few days of the birth or adoption of their child due to their well-being not being affected. On the other hand, women after birth are not fully capable to their full strength to go off to work and just leave their child in a school, or with a babysitter. Mothers have a maternal instinct which makes it harder to leave their child as they are worried constantly that the baby is okay. This affects the wage earned as men are allowed to gain a few extra dollars since most of their time is put into work rather than being home and taking care of the child. Women on the other hand can’t do the same thing as their time off work jeopardizes not only being able to earn more but losing their jobs by a replacement.
However, there are men who raise children on their own without a mother and often have a hard time with the wage earn. Single parents must split time between work and their children and it’s difficult for them. It’s either one or the other and often to give their child a better life multiple job offers are taken since one low wage job won’t be enough to support them. This affects the relationship between father and child or even vice versa.
Wage Difference and Opposing Viewpoints
The differences in wage due to gender are often unequal. “Economists estimate that the U.S. gender pay gap — the gap between the median salaries of all working men and women in the U.S. — is about 80 cents earned by women for every dollar earned by a man” (Hess). In the United States, in some jobs women are earning less than man, however to a point they are okay with it since they are unavailable to give up that job to find a better one quickly. Women are closed off from the possibility of even getting a raise to help support their families. However, in a journal article titled, “Globalization and the Gender Wage Gap” by Remco H. Oostendorp, it talks about how the effect of globalization affects women’s position in terms of their wages. It says that “expanding trade will boost job opportunities, increasing the number of women being absorbed in export-oriented industries. If the greater demand for female labor increases women’s relative wages, the gender wage gap will decline”. From this quote it can be seen that the gender wage gap issue can be addressed however not rapidly as it takes times for people to understand the process of globalization. According to a website titled , 46% of American Men Think The Gender Pay Gap is ‘Made Up To Serve a Political Purpose by Kerri Anne Renzulli, “ Given the disbelief in the existence of the wage gap by such a large percentage of the population. . . it will be, at least, another 50 years before men and women achieve economic equality in the U.S”. The gender wage gap has been an ongoing issue over many years and for many it doesn’t exist or has been address but for others affected by it it still remains. By Kerri Anne Renzulli stating that it would be at least another 50 years before both men and women reach an economic equality gives hope for many, but it can turn out to be wrong. As said prior, it’s an ongoing issue therefore it will be pushed to the side over and over again and not truly resolved.
Some men in fact don’t believe in the gender wage gap as it doesn’t truly affect them for most of the part. “Men were not only more likely to doubt the issue’s existence, but were also more skeptical of media reports, with 21 percent saying such coverage was “fake” vs. 12 percent of women” (Kerenzulli). For this opposing view on gender wage gap it shows than men don’t truly take gender wage gap as an issue. This is because it doesn’t affect them as much as women. However, men are in their right to their opinion, but many would take them as prideful for not supporting women reach the same equality. Furthermore, those men that do see the gender wage gap say that it’s because “women work fewer hours” or that “women are generally in careers that don’t pay as much” (Renzulli). This explains how some men believe that women are doing it to themselves. They believe that women are seeking jobs that offer low wages rather than finding themselves a solid job with a strong wage. Yet, it’s not that simple for women. Although women have tried to find better jobs or go into fields of studying that they would like to be able to earn a certain amount they will still be treated differently. If women join or pursue careers in which not may women are seen in, they often will be doubted in the capabilities. According to the journal, Female Labor Force Participation and Gender Wage Discrimination by Ramona Mihaila, “The discrimination of jobs and occupations is the imminent reason of numerous types of gender disparity”. If people don’t feel comfortable in the place they work those feelings will be brought out of work and exerted to interactions with people of the opposite gender. Women won’t be okay being around men as they will think that all men are the same and vice versa men won’t be around women of the same or different age as they don’t want to reencounter feeling uneasy or aggravated with discrimination.
Conclusion
Overall, the gender wage gap issue will remain among multiple societies as long as it’s not prioritized. Not only men but some women as well believe it doesn’t exist or it’s not an issue. The factors for the gender wage gap described above can either help address the issue or not. Men having more power over women has been since civilizations were created and it would be difficult for women to try and change that when they have always been men’s shadows. Education is were some equality can be gained for either gender. This depends on the effort each put towards their career and goal allowing each to ideally gain the wage that man or woman desires. Yet, children again disrupt the resolving of gender equality because taking care of children is a ‘women’s job’. Women bring children into the world and they often want to watch their children grow and take care of them which takes them off the labor force giving men more chances. Ultimately, it’s up to a society as a whole to make the change for themselves and not be influenced by outside opinions. Yet, in the long run gender wage gap equality will never be fully resolved. There will be oppositions to it and debates that will make it difficult at least try to gain some equality.
Works Cited
1. Graf, Nikki, et al. “The Narrowing, but Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 22 Mar. 2019, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/03/22/gender-pay-gap-facts/.
2. Hallock, Kevin F., et al. “Discrimination by Gender and Disability Status: Do Worker Perceptions Match Statistical Measures?” Southern Economic Journal, vol. 65, no. 2, 1998, p. 245., doi:10.2307/1060666.
3. J Hess, Abigail. “Women’s Earnings Drop after Having a Child-but Men’s Do Not.” CNBC, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/10/16/womens-earnings-drop-after-having-a-childbut-mens-do-not.html.
4. Kerenzulli, Kerri Anne. “46% Of American Men Think the Gender Pay Gap Is ‘Made up to Serve a Political Purpose’.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/04/04/46percent-of-american-men-think-the-gender-pay-gap-is-made-up.html.
5. Mihaila, Ramona. “Female labor force participation and gender wage discrimination.” Journal of Research in Gender Studies, vol. 6, no. 1, 2016, p. 262+. Gale Academic Onefile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A458550034/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=38f224d8. Accessed 30 Oct. 2019.
6. Oostendorp, Remco H. “Globalization and the Gender Wage Gap.” The World Bank Economic Review, vol. 23, no. 1, 2009, pp. 141–161. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40282296.
7. Women Creating Change. Personal Interview. 30 October 2019
8.Yearby, Ruqaiijah. “The Impact of Structural Racism in Employment and Wages on Minority Women’s Health.” American Bar Association, www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/minority-womens-health/.
