In America, women have come a long way receiving many of the rights that were given to men and freed slaves. But in today’s society, there are still many things that women have to deal with that men just will never have to worry about. The gender pay gap has decreased exponentially since women were allowed to start working alongside their male counterparts, however, it is still a problem that is a main topic in America. For every dollar a man makes in the United States women only get eighty cents. If men and women were paid the same, women would gain more in earnings every year. The gender pay gap is mostly attributed to discrimination in the workplace.
Many of the women who are making less than their male co-workers are just as qualified if not more qualified in all aspects of the job. This discrimination stems from the thought process that women are needed as family caregivers. This meaning that the women at these different jobs will be more focused on their family and home than their job. In a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2013, it was shown that women often times had to take extreme measures to help out their family.
These women would take reduced work hours, turn down promotions, and even quit their job for their families benefit. The sacrifices that women make for their family negatively impact their careers because of the image that it gives them. When broken down, the gender pay gap becomes a societal issue about the way that we view women and their role in a family dynamic. Should women be the only ones seen as the caregiver in the family and the man of the family as the breadwinner? Or can they share both roles and help each other out as a team?
Sources: Pew Research Center