The Cost of Being Female

Thesis

Women have been fighting for dollar to dollar equal pay since the 1980’s. It is estimated that in the year 1980 the average woman earned 36-cents less than their male counterpart and in the year 2018 the average woman earned 15-cents less. Such little growth over the span of 38 years is deplorable. It is essential that this unfair pay gap be irradiated.

Background and Evidence.

This unfair wage gap is based on gender stereotypes created by men. When women began in the workforce, taking over the jobs abandonded by men going off to war, wages dropped suddenly. When men returned, women were ushered to careers pertaining to care. This is because of the standard that women belong at home taking care of the housework and children. These careers were then ensured to hold lower wages comparatively to that of men.

The gender pay gap exists because of the circumstances of men. When men were once again forced to go back to war in 1918 and women were needed in the vacant jobs such as ammunition, men feared they would return and their wages would drop. To this the male ruling said that if women are needed to work in jobs meant for men they will be paid the same. The beginnings of pay disparity began with the idea that women should have equal pay but only if men are unavailable.

In the United States a male and a female with the same education are not guaranteed the same pay for the same work. A female graduating business student can expect to make about $54,900 dollars to a male’s $60,500. Numbers like this place a woman’s worth in the workplace at around 90% of a man’s. This barbaric stance emphasizes the sexist view that women are not as capable as men.

Sources I Have Found

The gender pay gap averages lower in younger women with a gap of around 85%. Women between 25 and 35 have an average wage gap of 89%. The gap is also subject to other workplace issues such as workplace discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/05/14/why-gender-pay-gap-still-persists-what-we-can-do-about-it/

The gender wage gap began because women were needed in the work force. As soon as women began filling necessary roles such as nursing, the pay for these jobs dropped. As further war took place in 1918 the roles women filled while men were in war maintained the wages for men to return to their roles after the war. By 1950’s coorporations tried to insentivise going back to home and leave careers for men. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act went into law, but still left restrictions up to the employer.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2018/01/22/the-countries-with-the-best-and-worst-gender-pay-gap-expectations-and-how-the-u-s-stacks-up/#37195630345c

Women in graduating in business only account to 90% the worth of a man in the same job. In the S.T.E.M. field, women graduating can expect to account for 88% of that of a man.

https://www-emerald-com.ezproxy.rowan.edu/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJSSP-01-2018-0002/full/html

The gender pay gap is based off of a patiriarchial and capitalist beginning. Gender pay gap disadvantages half of the population of our country.  The gender pay gap is made even larger in context of other factors, mainly age and ethnicity. It is estimated that the average female graduate will make around $700,000 less than her male counterpart.

Sources I am Still Looking For

I am still looking for a solid graphic showing disparities in wage. I am also still looking to find a solid interview showing the effects of the gender pay gap.

Counter Arguments

Critics may say that women do not have the same pay because they do not understand the importance of negotiating for higher wage.

 Women earn less than men because they chose to go into lower paying careers.

Men work harder than women and therefore should be paid more.