Issues of Sex and Gender in Society Today: Equal Pay

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Table of Contents

Introduction
General Discussion
Resolution Methods
Conclusion
References

Introduction

In today’s world, there is still a lack of gender equality in many areas of social life. One example of such problems with inequality is commonly seen as different wage levels. It is likewise often mentioned that men and women in the same job positions do not have the same work or professional responsibilities and administration attitudes. However, from an objective perspective, it is possible to assume that this problem is on a considerably more diminutive scale than is commonly believed but still exists.

General Discussion

Historically, women’s role in society has been minimized and experienced total discrimination. Most often, this happened due to people’s religious beliefs, and it still can be seen in some Muslim countries today. Consequently, when it became possible to work in the same jobs as men, the problem of lower pay for women emerged. Over time, laws in the form of the Equal Rights Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Discrimination in Hiring Act of 1967 came into being (Örtenblad, 2021). The Specific Act on Normalization and Equalization of Pay Levels was passed in 1997 and regulated the control of absolute equality of rights for all citizens of all genders. The most recent law can be considered the Prohibition of Discrimination Bill, which includes a concern for equal pay under H.R. 5 (U.S. Congress, 2021). The U.S. Congress is currently drafting its passage and implementation.

Many opinions stand on the fact that there is a problem in today’s labor market. Most of the complaints are voiced by feminist activists and social activists who observe human rights (Saari et al., 2021). Opponents of this thesis argue that there is no problem at all and cite current hiring statistics that show that women are far more likely to be selected for management positions or promotions and less likely to be fired (Blau and Kahn, 2020). Nevertheless, either extreme suggestion makes no logical sense, and an optimally formed attitude toward the situation must include a median between the two positions for the resolution of the issue.

Thus, a variety of factors contribute to the payment gap, including age, race or ethnicity, and health status, in addition to gender. However, a pay cut based on gender is the most common complaint in these cases. Employers’ use of an employee’s previous salary data in shaping a job offer does not help to address inequality. Moreover, the frequent organizational inappropriateness of employees discussing their salaries with management is an aggravating factor.

Unfortunately, it is still impossible to completely deny the existence of the problem of wage inequality because society has not yet resolved this issue. As long as there is noted at least one case of such attitudes toward women in the context of work processes, paying no attention to the situation is wrong. Rejecting the legacy of discrimination, segregation, and disrespect for people based on their gender implies equalization in all spheres of life (Saari et al., 2021). Accordingly, all such cases must be noticed, condemned, and resolved as properly and correctly as possible.

On the other hand, the size of the problem in some cases is greatly exaggerated. Undoubtedly, the very significance of the situation is obvious, but its prevalence is relatively diminutive. Virtually all employers today have fixed salaries for each position, and the gender of the employee makes no difference (Saari et al., 2021). Moreover, these types of mismatches can arise due to accounting errors, the victim of which is not necessarily a woman. The resolution of such problems is mandatory and left to the employer while being regulated by law.

Part of the opinion of the wage gap is shaded by the higher level of earnings among occupations that women do not usually prefer. However, physically demanding or hazardous tasks often do not involve men alone. Moreover, they are not popular among most women precisely because of the physical inadequacy of the profession. Moreover, the wages in such occupations are often not excessively high since the most impressive income is earned by those who work not physically, and there are no restrictions. Be that as it may, the tendency to employ women in leadership positions because of the perception of their higher efficiency has not been criticized or rejected by society, signaling the potential existence of double standards.

Furthermore, comparing different industries and companies is difficult to call objective. Most studies on the issue publish statistics about the difference in salaries between men and women from different organizations or unrelated professions, which is incorrect and most likely just a provocation of the informational cause (AAUW, 2020). In addition, linking reasons in the form of a mismatch in the level of education of a profession or the lack of a desired job in the immediate vicinity is irrelevant to the topic of discussion. However, for unknown reasons, sometimes a person’s lack of the necessary education when hired for a position is equated with discrimination. Such an attitude toward an existing severe problem belongs to populism and is hardly acceptable since not only does it not contribute to its solution, but it also scatters the attention of government and society.

Resolution Methods

People’s levels of engagement in society should be entirely consistent with their desire and aspiration. Based on this assertion, two basic strategies can be proposed to address the problem of wage equality for men and women. The first involves the introduction of more serious measures for employers who have such a wage differential for their employees. Part of this option is being worked out in H.R. 5, the 117th Congressional Bill mentioned above (U.S. Congress, 2021). However, there is no widespread dissemination in the news segment of the digital space, which implies the need to raise awareness of the problem among people.

The second method is the active implementation of counseling in the format of call centers or community centers. The addition of a function to handle inquiries about wage discrimination already exists, but more attention needs to be paid to it in order to solve the problem. However, the main point should be to realize that the problem is unique to people in the same job position in the same organization and cannot include comparisons to other firms or occupations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the existence of the problem of pay inequality in modern society can be confirmed. Solving such issues requires the active attention of the state and society, while its exaggeration or denial is not helpful and does not carry a practical commitment. Moreover, inequality has no place in today’s world because such an attitude toward human rights in a developing environment is unacceptable and hardly comprehendible.

References

Blau, F. D., & Kahn, L. M. (2020). “The gender pay gap: Have women gone as far as they can?” In Inequality in the United States: A Reader (pp. 345–362). Routledge. Web.

H.R.5 – Equality Act. (2021). U.S. Congress. Web.

Örtenblad, A. (Ed.). (2021). Debating equal pay for all: Economy, practicability, and ethics. Springer International Publishing.

Saari, M., Kantola, J., & Koskinen Sandberg, P. (2021). Implementing equal pay policy: Clash between gender equality and corporatism. Social Politics, 28(2), 265–289. Web.

The simple truth about the gender pay gap. (2020). AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. Web.

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Issues of Sex and Gender in Society Today: Equal Pay

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