Women have come a long way from the days of stepford wives. Let’s throw it back to the days of women being valued for their uterus: the storyline we had to follow was to grow up, get married, have a baby, and be a mom/wife. That was all we were supposed to look forward to. Now look at us, fighting for equality, going to college, proving our worth, and yet we still aren’t getting paid as much as our male counter parts. In 2016 white women are still earning just 78% of men’s wages hourly. While Robert J Samuelson of the Washington Post pointed out that “A more accurate ratio, after adjusting for differences in gender employment patterns, is closer to 92 percent.” it is still an 8% difference, and any difference at all is an injustice. At this point in time Women age 16 and up make up 57% of those in the labor force. We’re right up there with men, being lawyers, doctors, writers, scientists, and so much more. We shouldn’t be penalized for having a few different organs.
Women of color have an even more substantial wage gap. An example comes from Catherine Pearson at the Washington Post, “On average, black women in this country must work almost eight more months to simply earn what white man earned by last December 31st.” She goes on to explain that African American women make just 63 cents to every dollar a white man makes, where as white women make 78 cents. Native American women make 65 cents, and Latina women come in at just 54 to the white male’s dollar. Not only are there gender and racial wage gaps, but now women of different sexualities are experiencing discrimination as well. What does this teach us? Whether you’re a different race, ethnicity, or sexuality, all women are at risk of being cheated of money they have earned.
Closing the wage gap not only creates a more equal society, but also makes good business sense. Undervaluing a woman’s skills is a major hit to their confidence and leads to a negative work environment where productivity may suffer. No matter the race, women get the same education as men, work in the same fields, and should be getting the same wages. Pressing for wage equality is a difficult fight, but here are some ways it can be done. First, when interviewing for a job, ask for the amount you want! Don’t settle for the first offer. Second, go to the people in charge of wages wherever you work and make sure your salary figures are equal. Lastly, all women should write to their elected officials encouraging them to put more muscle behind equal pay laws. It will be difficult, but closing the wage gap would be one small step for women everywhere and one giant step towards equality.
Samuelson, Robert J. “What’s the Real Gender Pay Gap?” The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2016. Web. 29 Aug. 2016.
Pearson, Catherine. “America’s Pay Gap Could Cost Black Women More Than $1 Million.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 23 Aug. 2016. Web. 29 Aug. 2016.