concerning equal treatment of women and the gender gap.
While we might not always consider gender equity in the workplace to be a pressing issue due to it's lack of coverage in mainstream media, this is an issue that is always relevant. Title IX might have been the most significant legislation passed to address discrimination along with the Equal Pay Act of 1963 but women today are still battling discrimination when it comes to employment. More often than not, a woman with a job is more vulnerable to discrimination in terms of treatment, status, and pay but as well as harassment (mostly sexual). Men too can face similar instances of gender bias and discrimination but the odds are not as high as it is for women.
In fact, according to a study done by Pew Research Center in 2017, "Half (50%) of women in STEM jobs say they have experienced any of eight forms of discrimination in the workplace because of their gender – more than women in non-STEM jobs (41%) and far more than men in STEM occupations (19%) "( Funk and Parker 2018). Instances of discrimination vary from less pay for the same job as a man, treatment as less competent, and being denied a promotion. These numbers are huge and in a field has progressive as STEM, it is disappointing to learn this. What other employment jobs are we likely to see numbers this high against women? What kind of positions would be better about inclusion?
While it's hard to know the answers to these questions, perhaps we should consider not just the blatant discrimination but what Hernán Galperin calls the "invisible advantage" in his article for The Conversation. The invisible advantage refers to male privilege and while this can be seen in employment through the management and higher staff, this is also noticeable in clientele. In this piece,he shares a story about two workers named Martin and Nicole who had shared an inbox for clientele and noticed a distinct difference in treatment.
Inbox for Nicole was often considered to be "rude", "dismissive", and "impossible". Clients were quick to question the work of Nicole (as a woman) with no knowledge that behind their screen was a man (for some time).
Michelle Gorman, writer for Law360, also writes this same concept as she explains the male clientele is more willing to choose male lead attorneys for their case due to a blind bias against women. They fail to recognize females as capable of representing them enough to win their case. Their study showed "Only 15 percent of male-nominated stars were women. This compared with 29 percent of female-nominated stars being women". (Gorman 2018).
Why is it that even customers and consumers carry this belief that employed women are not as competent as their male counterparts? That women don't know as well? That we lack the skills that men have? Where is this mindset rooted?
While I believe gender gaps and employment equity are crucial, one of the most current and pressing issue for the field of employment today regarding women is the #Metoo movement. Following the case against Harvey Weinstein, #Metoo has become a platform for women to open up and speak out against instances of abuse, violence, and sexual harassment. Not all these incidents will take place at work but many do. This movement has given women the chance to speak against wrongful treatment in the workplace and this is something they might not have done previously. With so many brave souls sharing their stories, women get the chance to realize that they are not alone in this battle.
Regardless, the bias against women continues at many levels of employment. Whether bias occurs from within, trickling down from superiors or outside with clientele, it is an issue that can be worked on this year.
Women who attended the Women's March just earlier this week would also agree with that. They understand that we must continue to stand up and resist both bias and discrimination at all times. Which is why many stood to close the gender gap, to talk about sexual harassment in the workplace that is all too common today during the #Metoo movement, and demand equality.
