Mind The Gender Gap In The 20th Century

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“Mind the gap” is a common phrase said in the underground subways of London. People mind the gap there so that they don’t trip or fall when entering or exiting trains. Here in America, we also need to “mind the gap,” but in a different way. There is the often ignored problem of a certain gap - the gender wage gap. We need to mind this gap so that we don’t keep “tripping” or “falling” back into the past, where women were valued less than they are today.
Throughout history, women have struggled to attain the same rights as men. It wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th century that women began to actually gain a voice in a male dominated society. This was the time of suffragettes, women gaining the right to vote, and more women going to college …show more content…

54 years later, American women are still fighting for equal pay when it should already be theirs. The three main reasons for the gap are the “motherhood penalty,” negotiations, and employer bias (Farber, Madeline). Women are often given less opportunities and time for work due to the biological fact that they are the baby carriers and the leave they take during their pregnancy is viewed to be a major disadvantage. When it comes to pay negotiation, men often ask more than women, more often as well. Finally, although it may be masked with excuses, there is employer bias and gender discrimination in the workplace. In order to close the gender wage gap, these problems need to be addressed and …show more content…

Should women be encouraged to negotiate more or should pay negotiation be banned altogether for an equal playing field? According to a study of Carnegie Mellon University graduate students, when receiving job offers, 51.5% of men and 12.5% of women asked for more money(Miller, Claire Cain). “Challenging the legal relevance of the women don’t ask narrative in Title VII law is an important step” in achieving equal pay(Travis, Michelle). When it comes to pay, employers may use the “women don’t ask” excuse to justify gender discrimination in the workplace when it comes to pay (ibid). According to researchers Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, one small pay negotiation made by a man can make a huge difference years later (Elesser,

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