Gender Inequality: The Gender Gap Between Men And Women

To acknowledge inequality without acknowledging the inequality as a result of gender it is simply irresponsible. Gender plays a clear role in inequality, with women being treated worse than men in a variety of aspects including wages, family life, education, and occupations. Though the gap between men and women has steadily decreased, there is still a clear difference. The importance of gender, the existence of a "glass ceiling," the evidence of a "second shift," and gendering of occupations all point to the existence of gender gap. The importance of gender within society starts from birth, with everyone asking whether a newborn is a girl or boy, and the expectation to dress a child in "appropriate" clothing based on their assigned gender.

Despite the ability of women to now enter into a variety of occupations and positions, men still dominant the power structure and make it much more difficult to rise. Within organizations men are given preferential treatment as a result of viewing women as the inferior gender. Men get promotions easier than women and women are expected to display exceptional behavior in order to receive any type of promotion at all for the same amount of effort. Often times, the presidency is considered the last glass ceiling, and one that is believed to likely be shattered by the election of the first women president. However, even if this glass ceiling is shattered, the existence of glass ceilings in a variety of organizations can still be seen. For example, the severe lack of women within congress (a meager 20) shows how difficult it is for women to be elected and hold their spot despite being just as qualified as their male counterparts. Similarly, Professor Redding provided examples of women within occupations such as lawyers and doctors. While the opportunities for them to get into these occupations has widened, there is still a gap within the occupations