By Nia Saunders
Few people remember a time when public schools across America failed to recognize or allow women’s sport. In fact, the ratification of Title IX in 1972 would probably only be remembered by The Baby Boomers Generation. Most people who remembers the Title IX, know that it allowed girls in federally funded education programs to participate in the same sports that were available for boys. However, the law addresses gender inequality in more than just athletics. Title IX gave girls access to career education, math and science programs, employment education, and standardized testing and technology, among other opportunities.
Title IX was passed close to half a century ago, and it marks just one of the incredible turning points for women’s advancement in education. It could have also sparked the steady increase of women enrolling in college. According to the Digest of Education Statistics from 2010, the late 1970s would be the first time in American history that more women would be enrolled in higher education than men. Since then, this nationwide trend has only increased. It wouldn’t be until the 1990s when the number of women who had attained degrees would exceed the number of men who had done the same. With every decade, more and more women have made their presence known in the world of education. Present day statistics show that women make up half of the students enrolled in business, law and medical programs at universities.
If women are dominating in terms of higher education, it would only make sense to see paralleled statistics in the workforce. Even though women are now more likely to have careers that had previously been dominated by men, women still make up over half of workers in the twenty lowest paying professions. On the same note, research has found that women only represent 29% of personnel in the highest paying professions.
The “wage gap” refers to the averaged difference between a man and a woman’s income, assuming they have the same job. Women are statistically more likely to enroll in college and graduate with a degree than men. So there is no doubt they are just as qualified for these jobs. When members of the U.S. women’s soccer team filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation to demand the same pay and benefits the men’s soccer team received, it gained national attention. The women’s team won the 2015 World Cup and generated more profit than the men’s, yet they only earned a quarter of the men’s soccer team’s salary.
While gender discrimination may seem to be the sole reason, there could be more complicated reasons behind the wage gap. A study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that men tend to be more comfortable negotiating their wages, bonuses, and overall salary than women. Another study from the United States General Accounting Office found that women often turn down the opportunity for a promotion and higher pay in exchange for a position that offers more flexibility. This is because women are more likely to prioritize a balance between their work and family life. Other factors that play a small part in the reason for the wage gap include experience, seniority, skills and location.
Although these influences are partially to blame for the wage gap in America, a report from the Economic Policy Institute claims that roughly 40% of the gap between genders is unexplained. Whether intentional or not, it proves that discrimination still plays a huge part in the reason for the wage gap. It is apparent that the American workforce has yet to rid itself of unintentional sexism.
We know the problem and understand the lack of equity between men and women’s salaries, but how can we work towards equality for future generations? Lisa Quast is a contributor for Forbes, she highlights a few strategies to attain this goal. She mentions implementing “wage negotiating” curriculum in college classes, so women can feel confident and comfortable doing this. On the employer’s side, she mentions making the gender discrimination issues a top priority for the Human Resource (HR) department. Also providing workshops for upper management and HR on eradicating biases related to gender in the workplace.
Becoming aware of the gender wage gap is the first step to its elimination. Title IX’s sanction brought amazing opportunities to women that were unheard of up until that point. It began a movement where unprecedented number of women enrolled in higher education. The next step for women is to break the wage gap barrier. As we’ve seen before, this will only lead to more opportunities for women and our society as a whole.
Sources:
http://titleix.info/History/History-Overview.aspx
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ccap/2012/02/16/the-male-female-ratio-in-college/#259564f0fa52
https://mailchi.mp/statista/en_am_00150-1077265?e=6a3627aa8a
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