Sexual Inequality in the Workforce

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Sexual Inequality in the Workforce

Women have had equal rights in the United States for quite a few years now but they

as a society are not used to women being in roles that men traditionally hold. Female

doctors, lawyers, political leaders, judges, law enforcement officers, etc. are still not viewed as the cultural norm. Most women are thrilled when they do see other women in these roles because it continues to be unusual to find them in such positions. Despite the idea that, women do two-thirds of the world’s work, their achievements are very often invisible. Women work hard, but they often receive little credit for their accomplishments. Yet, rarely (relative to men) do they reach high-visibility positions and leadership.

The impact of these prejudices reach into the lives of all women as they make

decisions about what to aim for, what to study, how to support themselves and their families economically, and what they might contribute to their communities at the local, national, and global levels. If they are to grapple successfully with the problem of women and economic development and preparing women to take their place in the employment market, there are a number of patterns to which they must pay attention to carefully. My research will address five of these patterns: Pay Equity, the ‘glass ceiling’, work and family balance, the feminization of poverty, and the role of women in a learning society.

PAY EQUITY

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/)women make

up two-thirds of all minimum wage-earners, and during 1998, women in the United States

earned 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. At the managerial level, the wage gap is

greater and most noticeable for women of colo...

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