Reading Reflection Eight

“With the exception of fashion modeling and prostitution, men in traditionally female occupations traditionally out earn women.” (Newman 302)

This chapter concerned inequalities in economics and work, but the section that caught my interest was the part on gender and the workplace, specifically gender discrimination in the workplace. It is no secret that for as long as women have been working men have been making more money. However I didn’t realize the extent to which this happened. First off, the jobs that are primarily assumed to be women’s jobs, such as teaching, nursing, etc. are all low paying jobs. It is well known that teachers do not make a very significant salary, although I could not tell you why, considering teaching is one of the most important professions in America. It makes me furious when I compare a teacher’s measly salary to that of a professional athlete, who makes millions for playing a game. And wouldn’t you know that professional athletics is a men’s field?

Although all of these inequalities are completely unfair, I was somewhat aware of them. I have heard the term class ceiling before, and I know that women make roughly 25% less than men for the same jobs. However, I was outraged to hear that even in primarily female occupations, such as receptionists and librarians; men still make more money, and are more highly valued than women. It makes me furious to hear that in law firms women are undervalued even with the same level of education and seniority, especially because I want to go into that field. How does it make sense that simply because I am female I deserve less credit and money even with just as much work as a man? Are genitals that important to a law firm?

I really don’t understand how this still occurs even with the percentages of women in the workforce and the amount of gender discrimination law suits that go on today. Why does it still happen? Why are men so much more valued than women? I have always heard that it is because women take maternity leave, and can’t work too much because of their kids. I think it is time that we change the family dynamic in order to make it more equal for women. Although men cannot give birth, Newman writes that women still do twice as much housework as men, even when they work longer hours then men. We need to un-condition America to think that a woman’s place is at home, when so many of us plan to join the workforce.