Why do Women Deserve to be Paid Equally?

In the age of freedom, this is a harsh reality that we are still facing the unequal pay gap in United States. Women are the only bread earners in many American families. Despite their equal work hours, they are paid unequal as compared to their male coworkers. The United States is the largest economy in the world, yet we are struggling for equal income for women. In the age where we are taking stand for LGBTQ’s rights, we must be clear that women should be paid fair and equally.

In United States, average unadjusted salary of women is 78% compared to men’s average salary. A major reason of this inequality is gender discrimination. In 2017, 20% gender wage gap was seen in year-round workers. Women are working equally in offices, hospitals, educational institutions, and other workplaces. They are leading men in college degrees, yet they they are paid less than them. Though women have raised their voices for their equal rights at many platforms, still no significant improvement is seen. (“Pay Equity & Discrimination | Institute for Women’s Policy Research”)

Men are still not ready to accept the equality of women in every field, even though women are doing their best in taking care of their homes, children, and sharing the burden of their families financially as well. According to Hive, women are working 10% harder than men at workplaces. And the companies are benefitting from work assigned to women by 81.8% for the same work assigned to men. (“Pay Equity & Discrimination | Institute For Women’s Policy Research”)

Equal pay is not only important for the women themselves, but for the employing companies as well. As half of the workforce in US is based on women and if they will not be paid fair, output will be negative in the favor of the companies. For more productivity, equal pay wage is necessary. Besides, this is also a part of their corporate social responsibility. Many companies are running their philanthropy and community service programs these days, but what is the point of this service if they are not fair with their own workforce?

Samantha Schmidt writes in her article, “By the index’s measures, six countries now have laws that protect men and women equally: Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden. The United States, meanwhile, is far from the leading pack. Its 2018 score came in at 83.75, a score that has stayed flat for the past 10 years. The U.S. tied with Malawi, Kenya, and The Bahamas. More than 60 other countries had better scores.” Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, and still we have failed in implementing it across the nation. Promoting greater respect for women’s rights is one of the important national interests of United States, still our women are struggling for their right of equal pay. (Schimdt)

In many cases, women stay unaware of the fact that they are being paid less than their male colleagues. Lilly Ledbetter, an American activist, unknowingly continued earning less than her male coworkers for 20 years, until someone sent her a note telling her about this inequality. This wage gap may be less in low income jobs, but it is even higher in the high-income job positions. Women lose hundreds of dollars of their incomes due to unfair wage gap. “The gap exceeds $300,000 in 15 states, $400,000 in 22 states, and $500,000 in 11 states”. We are living in the age of freedom and equality and no one is working day and night only to be oppressed based on gender discrimination. Teenagers to old ladies, everyone puts in their effort to earn for their children. government grants only 12 weeks of maternity leave; that too is unpaid. So, at least women should be paid equally for the hours, they are working. (Arons)

The rate of poverty in America can decrease up to half by paying equally to women. So, unequal wage gap is not only a gender issue, but has a lot to do with financial crisis as well. The increase of $512 billion would add to the United States income if women are paid equally, which makes up 2.8% of 2016 gross domestic product (GDP). (Milli et al.)

Married women suffer more than single ones. They have to run their families, but they are paid even lesser. “Married women with children earn less than married women without children. Married women who space their births widely apart receive even lower wages. Opposite patterns hold for men” ((Grusky, and Kricheli-Katz 173)

According to a report by The Voter Participation Centre, Unmarried Women in America: Cornerstone of our Democracy, found that one of the most important policy issues facing single women is unequal pay and its trickle-down effects on child care, healthcare, and other costs.” (“55 Years After The Equal Pay Act, Unmarried Women Still Only Make 70 Cents To A Man’S Dollar”)

Unequal wage gap has also a link with harassment at the workplaces. As power dominates and money is getting equal to power in this global world, women are also becoming victims to harassment by their male colleagues based on gender discrimination in wages. Due to being underpaid, they are treated inferior on workplaces.

In the end, women deserve equal pay considering their efforts, role in society and consequences to the country. In order to deal with poverty, human rights and development, we have to fight for implementation of Fair Pay Act and get paid equally.

Reference

1. “Pay Equity & Discrimination | Institute For Women’s Policy Research”. Institute For Women’s Policy Research, 2019, https://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/.
2. “Pay Equity & Discrimination | Institute For Women’s Policy Research”. Institute For Women’s Policy Research, 2019, https://iwpr.org/issue/employment-education-economic-change/pay-equity-discrimination/.
3. Schimdt, Samantha. “Only 6 Countries Give Women The Same Work Rights As Men. The U.S. Isn’T One Of Them.”. Https://Www.Washingtonpost.Com, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/03/02/only-countries-give-women-same-work-rights-men-us-isnt-one-them/?utm_term=.c71e3fd26c81.
4. Arons, Jessica. Lifetime Losses. Center For American Progress Action Fund, 2008, p. 1, https://www.americanprogressaction.org. Accessed 27 Apr 2019.
5. Milli, Jessica et al. The Impact Of Equal Pay On Poverty And The Economy. Institute For Women’s Policy Research, 2019, https://iwpr.org/publications/impact-equal-pay-poverty-economy/.
6. Grusky, David B, and Tamar Kricheli-Katz. The New Gilded Age. Stanford, Calif : Stanford University Press., 2012, p. 173.
7. “55 Years After The Equal Pay Act, Unmarried Women Still Only Make 70 Cents To A Man’S Dollar”. 2018, https://www.voterparticipation.org/2018/06/women-need-more-progress-on-equal-pay/. Accessed 27 Apr 2019.

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