In Tuesday’s class, we discussed
the many moving arguments that lie within the article written by J. Ann Ticker.
Her feminist critique poked holes in the liberalist, nationalist, and Marxist approaches
to International Political Economy which have all been created through the eyes
of men. Ticker states that the reason
women face inequality is because the economic and political systems have both
been constructed through the lenses of men. These masculine creations naturally
have been born to favor masculinity because they are simply the ones who put
these systems in place. Ticker argues that we must have gender at the forefront
when changing the goals and ideals we have in society. For example, we should
be working to achieve economic justice for all rather than waging war with
another country. That said, it may seem like ticker is ignoring the progress we
have made from then until now, but an article written by the AAUW proves she is very
correct.
What do the numbers say? Overall, the
gender income discrepancy has gotten better over time which can be expected as
the role of a women in society has evolved too. Women are no longer just child-bearers.
They are educators, CEOs, inventors, writers, and many other unique additions
to the world we live in. From the years 1960 to 2015, the pay gap has shrunk by
25%. This may sound like a huge decrease
in gender wage inequality, but it is not. At this rate, women and men would be
projected to earn equal wages in the year 2059. If the rate from 2001 to 2015 was used, the
same gender wage equity would be forecasted to occur in the year 2152! On
average, women in the United States make about 80% of what men earn in the
labor force. Most economists and other
well qualified scholars often link wage disparities with education. After all,
the more educated a person is the more likely they will have upward economic mobility.
However, the numbers presented by the article above contradicts that argument when focusing
in on women. Women who possess some college or an associate degree and women
who earn a bachelor degree both earn 75% of what men with the exact same
credentials earn. In fact, women who go on to achieve an advanced degree earn 74% of
what men earn. Will statistics such as
these discourage women from pursuing roles that are dominated by masculinity? If
education is not rewarding hardworking women, will women still want to pursue
the higher economic and political positions which can create change. We all go
to college and take on debt to gain economically later in life. However, if there
is no reward at the finish line will women still attempt to place themselves in
positions that can potentially balance out masculinity? Of course, some will
still fight to have justice, but how will the rest of women respond?
Ticker
believes the economic and political systems are dominated by masculinity. How
will we be able to balance out the dominance with femininity if the incentive to
do so is simply not there? Is the existence of inequality enough to motivate
people to change? It would be foolish to think that men who benefit from a masculine
favored world would simply change their ways to create justice. People are
selfish and often do what is best for themselves. This means most men will
continue to enjoy the world we live in while only some will help to achieve
gender equity. What do you guys think?
I agree that these numbers are disturbing and almost give women the incentive to not reach their full potential. Females constitute about half of the workforce; they now are the main providers for their families. Furthermore, women receive more educational degrees than men. In an ideal world, wages would be based on experience, credentials, and ability. However, females do earn less than men. In 2015, female full-time workers made only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 20 percent. Although women have made progress over the years and have been employed by jobs previously solely occupied by men, there is still a discrepancy – occupational segregation. Women are seen to only partake in certain jobs which earn less than the ones men are accustomed to having. Discrimination in the workplace needs to be further eliminated in order to equality to arise. Women need to realize these disturbing numbers and be empowered by them rather than discouraged. It is more of a reason to stand up to the oppressors and change their societal stance.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a great point about whether or not women will be discouraged to pursue jobs in fields dominated by men. If you look at these fields today, this is certainly true. Significantly less women run for political office than men, which is why we do not have many women in Congress or state legislatures. If you look at the Presidential election you can see one reason why. Regardless of if you think Hillary is a good person or not, her resume and merit for the job is, without question, far superior to that of Trump. She has significantly more experience than him in dealing with political affairs, yet a wealthy, celebrity business man still won. For women, a lot of the time it does not matter how qualified you are.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said. It is difficult for women to want and compete in a world that they know favors men. However, overcoming inequality must be something we prioritize. You made a good point in saying that no man is gonna get behind this, because they are the ones who are benefiting. But, we must find a way around this. Even though women have had more chances in the work force, there is still so much more that has to be done for them.
ReplyDelete