“Gender identity is the root of socially assigned male and female gender roles. Gender traits are valued when those traits facilitate success in assigned social roles. From birth we are considered either male or female and are treated accordingly. Society places certain values on gender identity," (Abbleby, G., Colon, E., Hamilton, J.). |
EDUCATION
In the early years of American history, women were discouraged from continuing education after high school. Females were taught to read and write but could only obtain a higher education if there was room left in schools after boys completed enrollment. With the beginning of feminism in the 19th century came the attempt to gain equal rights to education in the United States. Females today are earning more college degrees then ever.
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INCOME
The Equal Pay Act was signed in 1963, the wage gap has been closing at a very slow rate. In 1963, women who worked full-time, year-round made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. In 2010, women earned 77 cents to men's dollar.(National Committee of Pay Equity). "The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a United States federal law amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex (see Gender pay gap). It was signed into law on June 10, 1963, by John F. Kennedy as part of his New Frontier Program," (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Third Quarter of 2015 The women's-to-men's earnings ratio varied by race and ethnicity. White women earned 80.5 percent as much as their male counterparts, compared with 93.3 percent for black women, 72.2 percent for Asian women, and 91.0 percent for Hispanic women |
The pay gap affects women from all backgrounds, at all ages, and of all levels of educational achievement, although earnings and the gap vary depending on a woman’s individual situation.
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Occupation/employment
Between the 1920’s and 1950’s women could rarely land a job, and if they could, they would get fired the moment they got married and were forced to take on the role of a homemaker. They could only get “traditional jobs” like domestic servants, secretaries, nurses, teachers and factory workers. If they did get a professionally prestigious job, no man would put his business affairs in the hands of a female lawyer or doctor, despite the condition they were in. Women would be expected to do the same duties as a man and get paid half the amount as a man.