Gender_Stereotyping

Kristina Ramey Arts and Humanities Unit 2 April 11, 2011 Gender Stereotyping is a topic that many do not like to discuss. In this day and age with more and more women entering the workplace gender stereotyping has become a serious problem. This has especially become a problem for females with higher positions and a lot more responsibilities. These stereotypes continue to hold many women back from positions that they deserve even though they have plenty of qualifications that make them a good fit for the position. Gender stereotypes can have a very negative impact on women and their careers. Considerable evidence reveals that men and women are treated differently in a variety of contexts, just not the workplace. Wage discrimination tends to be a big problem with gender stereotyping. One of the main reasons women are paid less for the same exact job and same responsibilities is because their pay is based on gender stereotypes. It is sometimes viewed that women do not need equal pay because they are married and their income in basically a supplement to their husband’s income. Husbands are viewed as the “breadwinner” who brings home the money and women are viewed as the “homemaker” who takes care of the home and children, because of these stereotypes women in the workplace sometimes get labeled as being too soft or affectionate. This can be devastating to a women’s career. Many times in the workplace, men are viewed as the only one that is able to take charge. They are said process the behaviors that are needed for top-level positions. Women on the other hand are viewed as the one that is able to take care of people. They are said to be more affectionate, compassionate, helpful and kind. This comes from women being viewed as the homemaker, this can potentially undermined the woman’s capacity to lead and could possibly pose serious challenges to career advancement. Many women encounter what is known as the “glass ceiling”. A glass ceiling is an upper limit to professional advancement, especially as imposed upon women that is not readily perceived or openly acknowledged. (Glass, 2011) Men and some other women are responsible for this stereotyping, mostly the older generation but some of the younger generation who were raised with the values of women staying home and the man working. Up until the last 30 or 40 years, women were the ones that stayed home and took care of the home and children and husbands were the ones that worried about the financials. With the way the world is today a lot of families have to have both parents working so they are able to afford every day expenses, which sends the mother out into the workplace. Also, single mothers cannot afford to depend on child support alone to support them so they are forced to go out into the workplace. These stereotypes exist just as much today as they did 30 years ago. With each passing year more and more women have to work to be able to support their families so they join the workforce. Laws have been set up to deter and protect women from harassment and discrimination. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Law (Federal, 2009) states that employees cannot be discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Equal Pay Act (EPA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of wages or benefits, where men and women perform work of similar skill, effort, and responsibility for the same employer under similar working conditions. The EPA prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of wages or benefits, where men and women perform work of similar skill, effort, and responsibility for the same employer under similar working conditions. (Federal, 2009) There are also laws against pregnancy-based discrimination; it basically states pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions must be treated in the same way as other temporary illnesses or conditions. (Federal, 2009) To be able to dispel gender stereotyping, the views of the women’s place in the world would need to change drastically. No longer could men see themselves inferior to woman. Women would have to be allowed to obtain any position that a man could obtain. Family values would need to change to allow individuals to accept women no matter what. The United States is moving towards gender free stereotyping but it will never ever be fully fair for women in the workplace because no matter how many laws are put into effect you will always have the people who believe that women do not belong in the workplace. References Dodds, D. (2006, December 6). Gender stereotyping in the workplace and the discrimination it creates [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://www.todaysworkplace.org/2006/12/01/gender-stereotyping-in-the-workplace-and-the-discrimination-it-creates-danica-dodds/ Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination questions and answers. (2009, November 21). In The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html Glass ceiling. (2011). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/women