Wage Gap Essay

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Women in the Work Force and the Wage Gap America is the country of equal opportunities, however, women suffer from wage discrimination. Women earn seventy-seven cents for every dollar that a man makes. This is read everywhere, but there is more to it. Inequality and discrimination have been declared illegal since 1964 (Gibelman 24). So, why are women affected by the wage gap when discrimination is illegal? The answers vary, but it depends on job positions, the time spent, and the performance of the workers. I read multiple academic journals in order to come up with reasons for the wage gap. The wage gap is a huge topic because people need to understand how far it goes. Furthermore, when most people pay attention to pay inequality in the United …show more content…

Nevertheless, historical records help explain pay inequality and they consider this theory. Economists and sociologists have explained that the features of the workers only slightly explain the difference. The education and previous experience have a small impact on the wage gap (Gibelman 23). However, there are examples of jobs that do discriminate against women’s wage. Examples of unequal pay include jobs with the government. These jobs pay more than many others, but there is still discrimination. Even with lawyers, there is a discrimination towards women (Gibelman 23). These jobs include higher paying jobs. It is not the minimum wage jobs that discriminate against women, it is some of the top paying jobs. This ties up with how women are seen in the top positions or leadership …show more content…

It has decreased over the past years, but the news does not give it credit. Popular phrases like, “equal pay for equal work” can be used to protest (Gibelman 24). But we need to keep in mind that the government is trying to close this gap. Moreover, the wage gap can be thought of as the women’s fault too. Women are less likely to focus on the job once they have a family, while men focus more on their job. The wage gap can also be contributed to discrimination and stigma placed on women. In conclusion, the wage gap exists in great part because of time. However, as an advanced country we need to stop thinking of women as lesser figures. It is rational to think the wage gap will not end soon, but we also need to acknowledge that it has been closing. Next time you see the news and hear about the wage gap, consider that there are multiple factors that are excluded. Think that it might not affect every woman, and that it is just numbers that fit some cases, not

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