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Gender Wage Gap

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Gender Wage Gap Since 1964, women have only gained 18 cents on average in terms of equal pay. It is a battle that continues to be fought daily; countless court cases and proposals to enact legislation. The gender wage gap in the United States, unbeknownst to many, exists and is affecting nearly half of the workforce. While there has been progress, such as the Equal Pay Act of 1964 and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, women still only earn approximately 77 cents to a man’s dollar. There are many common excuses as to why the wage gap between men and women exists but several studies and extensive research reveal that women are simply paid less than their male counterparts working in the same position. Recent legislation has failed …show more content…
Jobs that are considered “feminine”, such as a position at a daycare, often offer lower wages. In today’s society, people tend to associate certain occupations with certain genders. Truck driving is considered to be a masculine occupation, while any occupation that includes caring for children is considered inherently feminine. How is that caring for the life of a child earns a lower wage than driving a truck? Because of this divide in occupations, “women are more likely than men to be employed in traditionally feminine occupations..” (Besen-Cassino 2). Placing a gender label on an occupation inhibits both women and men. In doing so, women, by default, receive less pay. Even outside long-term employment, women typically receive less pay than men. Freelance jobs for women generally pay less than freelance jobs occupied by men. Pay inequality is not the only thing continued in freelance work, the gendering of jobs occurs as well. “Even within freelance jobs, we see further gendering of jobs. The girls stuck with jobs such as babysitting, while the boys shoveled snow or did yard work. Interestingly, taking care of yards pays more than taking care of children,” (Besen-Cassino 4). The inequality in long-term employment and freelance work directly affects women and inhibits their …show more content…
Significant legislation in the past have worked to do so, but a significant difference in pay still exists. The Equal Pay Act of 1964 and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act aided women in the fight against pay inequality, making it “illegal to pay employees different wages based on their sex” (“Equal Pay Protection”) and “restoring protections against discrimination in the workplace,” (Alter 1). The Paycheck Fairness Act, however, attempts to make a larger impact. This legislation is designed to make wages more transparent for those who feel that they have experienced discrimination. Unfortunately, it has failed to pass due to a significant amount of opponents. This act would be a large step for justice for women who have experienced gender

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