Gender Pay Gap in the U.S.

By: Hay Yee Chan

Believe it or not, in the US, women’s annual earnings were 82.3% of men’s. Women are earning less than men, no matter their occupation or their education level. So, why is this happening? Women are assigned more roles than men, like taking care of their children, doing household chores, etc. However, both men and women have the same 24-hour time constraint each day. Consequently, women's working hours are often diminished due to their additional responsibilities. Additionally, occupational segregation plays a role, with certain industries historically dominated by women being associated with lower wages and reduced benefits compared to male-dominated fields such as programming and construction. Gender disparities in earnings can be observed across all levels within industries, from frontline workers to middle-level managers to senior leaders. These factors significantly contribute to the persistence of the gender pay gap, which is deeply rooted in historical contexts and not easily changed.

It is true that people might think that women earning less than men is reasonable, and it doesn’t actually matter. Stereotypically, men have the role of providing moral and financial support to the family, while mothers have the role of taking care of their children. Statistically, moms did more than twice as much child care as dads in the US. Women tend to be more flexible in their parenting styles. Women tend to be more patient. Women tend to excel in childcare. In addition, consider the work that women can do that men can't, like breastfeeding. Women should be the ones who take care of their children instead of going to work. And men should be the ones who are the breadwinners and shouldn’t sponge off women.

In my opinion, the gender pay gap matters. It is not fair for both men and women. Women lose equal opportunities because of prejudice. They are expected to leave their jobs after having a child and stay at home to take care of them. Because of their children, women have given up jobs they are passionate about. Because of the social expectations placed on women, they don’t even get access to the opportunities that they should have. As a result, women aged 25-34 globally are 25 percent more likely than men who live in extreme poverty. It has a compounding effect that results in a woman's reduced earning capacity over their lifetimes as well. If women can earn the same as men, estimates show that the global GDP will increase by 35 percent on average, which will benefit the economy as well. Alternatively, men lose the opportunity to accompany their own children. They spend less time with their loved ones because society expects them to provide financial support to the family. However, neither working nor childcare is a gender-specific role. Women and men are both responsible for raising their children and taking care of them. Childcare is an activity that requires patience, kindness, and love. Such qualities can be found in both men and women. Thus, men can be just as good as women at taking care of their young children. Moreover, both men and women can decide to work and provide financial support to the family. Women can also be great employees and excel in their workplace. Women can be the breadwinners as well. We are the ones that should decide what we do, not our gender.

Looking at the Netherlands, they had already made progress so far. Fathers in the Netherlands can take 5 days of full-paid paternity leave immediately after the birth of the baby. Moreover, fathers can choose to take up an additional five week of unpaid week, where they can still claim benefits from the Employment Insurance Agency pegged at 70% of their standard pay. This encourages fathers to spend more time connecting within their child. Obviously, this is not enough. But it is true that the Netherlands is making good progress.

The gender pay gap is a serious issue that causes a lot of negative consequences. The reality is that women lose equal opportunities to pursue their dreams. Men lose chances to watch their precious child grow from a baby to a grownup. In my opinion, the companies should be responsible for this. They can reduce the gap between the salaries of men and women. They should employ the workers that are most qualified, but not because of their gender. In addition, the government in the U.S. should encourage paternal leave in order to let men take care of their children while women go to work. I believe, with all of our support, the gender pay gap can be closed in the future.

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Rationale:

Gender equality plays a significant role in the gender pay gap in the US. Let me share my thoughts on it!