Gender Inequality
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Gender Inequality
Gender inequality is a key concern in the U.S. and other parts of the world where women have for many years played a subordinate role to men. Unfortunately, the imbalance causes serious effects on both females and males. However, based on this essay, women are the primary causalities of the gender-related discrimination. The problem subjects women to various adverse effects ranging from health issues to socioeconomic tribulations. The essay, while relying on the five-phase model that Hoefer (2019) identifies as a suitable model for understanding and dealing with an issue, defines the problem, informs about the major causalities, illustrates the chief causes of the problem, gives possible remedies to the issue, and provides a justice analysis of the recommended remedies. The chief argument in this essay is that disregarding the issue of gender inequality could have other serious implications, which makes it necessary to look into the matter and deal with it in the most appropriate manner.
Defining the Issue
In the U.S., like many other places in the world, women continue to be sidelined or less cared for compared to men. Consequently, they do not get a many opportunities as their male counterparts. A key concern is that women continue to be inadequately represented in high-ranking, highly paid positions and largely represented in low paying areas. The situation is even worse for transgender individuals and women of color, who experience significantly high levels of unemployment, poverty, and other economic constraints (Inequality, 2022). Sexual violations and gender discrimination in the workstation contributes immensely to these prolonged economic blunders. Gender imbalance that mostly affects women and girls make the affected population not only to be alienated in the workstation, but also in the educational sector where it is difficult for the suppressed gender to progress further and become empowered in the same level as males. Issues of child marriage could also be attributed to gender inequality where many underage girls enter into marriage despite the existence of laws and regulations that counter such practice (Mikkola & Miles, 2007). Another concern related to gender inequality, and which is increasingly becoming a considerable issue is unacknowledged domestic work (Inequality, 2022). Many girls and women perform house chores for longer hours with little or no pay, a problem that also violates their rights for fair remuneration. The issue of gender inequality requires considerable attention to address the matter as effectively as possible because of the adverse effects associated with the social challenge. Thus, mitigating gender balance with the urgency it deserves will help to avoid adverse implications. However, failing to act could worsen the problem and the effects of the inequality are likely to intensify.
Who is Affected and How
Women and girls are the major causalities of gender inequality. A significant number of women experience health issues due to the imbalance. Various forms of gender inequality such as socioeconomic imbalance, discrimination, objectification, and violence could result in post-traumatic stress depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem among other problems (Mikkola & Miles, 2007). However, it is essential to acknowledge that the effects of the inequality manifests itself in diverse ways. People can encounter mental health problems as a direct effect of gender-related violence or discrimination. They can also develop these problems directly due to exposure to socioeconomic unevenness, improper messages in social media, and severe stress. Other health related complications, include sadness, unpleasant flashbacks, hyperarousal, which keeps the body in a condition of alertness, making it hard to relax (Inequality, 2022). Gender inequality can also affect women’s voice at the workstation. As a result, women would receive lesser payment compared to their male counterparts, and may not have the avenue to express this displeasure. Unequal representation at the workplace also deny women the chance to ascend to higher positions, which deters how they contribute towards decision making. However, the socioeconomic suppressions that women face have other effects. For instance, the problem also serves as the basis for transgender economic, gender poverty, and gender wealth gaps that have remained relatively the same despite the recent attempts to increase the number of women in the workforce (Inequality, 2022). The effects are evidently harmful and unless something happens to salvage the situation more women and girls will continue to suffer from the unpleasant consequences of gender inequality.
Certainly also males suffer as a result of gender inequality. A key concern is that males may miss the merits that come with incorporating female workers in the workstation. According to Joy (2016), a diverse workstation has many benefits, including enhanced productivity, increased creativity, increased profits, and broader range of skills. Moreover, a diverse workstation benefits from better cultural insights as well as elevated organizational reputation (Joy, 2016). However, it is difficult or impossible to enjoy these benefits when a workstation only recruits males or offers them the chance to ascend to higher levels. In addition, the traditional gender views that put men in the place of breadwinner and discrimination barring women from equally contributing to their family needs and taking part in the workforce can add additional pressure on men, escalating their risks of health complications (Selby, 2018). Hence, addressing the matter will not only be of help to women, but also to men who are likely to become victims of the inequality.
Main Causes of the Issue
Gender imbalance has its origins in variations between women and men in society. These emanates from social formations of relations, which in turn generate from sexual separation of labor entrenched in biological variations across genders, such as the capacity to breastfeed. Nonetheless, an emerging meaning in this sense is that relations and roles have some biological meaning but are largely formed and defined by society (Martinez et al., 2010). Consequently, men have over the years acquired the perception that they are superior to women, and therefore, deserves better chances and opportunities compared to their female counterparts. It is the societal perception that men are superior to women that has fostered the view that the biology of men is better than that of women (Martinez et al., 2010). For instance, because the bodies of most men are on average stronger and larger than women, men have increasingly gained the impression that they are better placed than their fellow women. Based on the paper by Smyth (2007) gender discrimination starts in childhood. From the time of birth, boys and girls face imbalanced gender norms concerning expectations and reach to opportunities and resources, with lifelong repercussions – in their communities, schools, and homes. For instance, boys in many societies are usually motivated to attend schooling and acquire education as preparation to enter the workforce, while girls on the other hand, are compelled to perform numerous house chores that keep them out of school, escalating their chances of entering into child marriage and getting early pregnancy. Thus, the ideology formed by society that men enjoy a higher societal ranks serves as a chief cause of gender inequality in the U.S. and other parts of the world.
However, it is possible to identify other factors that have prompted gender inequality. A key concern is that various regulations exist to encourage male-female sameness, but seemingly those responsible for overseeing its implementation do not seem to put much effort onto the task bestowed on them (Smyth, 2007). The failure to put much emphasis on the implementation of policies that safeguard the interests and desires of women, while advocating for their sameness with men regardless of gender variations has contributed significantly towards the inequality that has existed over the centuries. Thus, there is need to pay more attention to this area by ensuring that existing laws are put into action. The other possible cause of gender inequality is that because not many girls and women have progressed to higher educational levels, it becomes difficult for them to secure employment in well-paying areas and positions. According to the writing by Evans et al. (2019) women around the globe still have inadequate reach to education compared to men. Smyth (2007) informs that nearly a quarter of young women aged 15-25 will not complete primary school. That portion makes up the nearly 57% of those who do not finish basic education. It is the reason why of all illiterate people globally, about two-thirds are women. When girls do not get same chances as men to pursue education, it has a substantial implication on their future and the types of opportunities that will be available to them. Unfair access to education is the chief reason why women are the major victims of lack of employment quality and job segregation (Evans et al., 2019). Hence, the most effective way to address the issue of gender inequality is to begin by understanding the potential causes of the problem to be able to understand what needs to happen to achieve impressive results.
Possible Solutions to the Issue
Whereas gender inequality proves to be a tough social problem to deal with, it is possible to implement certain effective approaches that would help to handle the issue in the most effective manner. A suitable approach is to emphasize some of the already existing policies and regulations that exist to regulate the issue of gender inequality. In the U.S., the Gender Equality Law of 2011, aims at eliminating all forms of gender-based discrimination in recruitment, training, and employment. The legislation also offers protection against other forms of discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, marital status, and sex (Gender Equality, 2012). The legislation also aims to safeguard against discrimination in other areas such as access to facilities, services, and goods, as well discrepancy through work adverts. However, persistent inequality calls for more oversight on the implementation of this law. The government and those in charge with the implementation of such regulations should take stern actions against those who act contrary to warn those who engage in acts that contravene the rights and interests of women and girls. For instance, violators should pay large sums of money as fine or serve a jail term to warn those who indulge in similar malpractices.
However, it is possible to embrace other effective measures and practices that would ensure that the level of gender inequality goes down. It is essential to create social awareness on the values of treating the people belonging to the different genders as being equal regardless of their biological dissimilarities (Martinez et al., 2010). Educators at various levels should take over the responsibility of ensuring that learners, starting from tender ages, acknowledge the value of treating each other as equal partners who deserve similar opportunities and chances for growth and development. The awareness will help to overcome the prevalent societal perception that men are superior to their female counterparts and therefore deserve better treatment (Martinez et al., 2010). It is imperative to conduct the awareness process at all levels and places to avoid a scenario where only people from a particular place or region gain the information regarding the significance of treating those who belong to different genders as equal partners. Also effective is the need to promote girl-child education considering that lack of education is also a major contributor of gender inequality. The government should make it compulsory to educate the girl child to ensure that members of this gender have similar chances to their male counterparts (Gender Equality, 2012). It may be necessary to have some special provisions for female learners as a way of enticing them and their parents to see the value of undergoing the process. In addition, curriculum developers should include content that inform about the values of promoting the education of girls and women because this will go a long way into creating a condition where the society at large see the values of encouraging education for members of this gender (Martinez et al., 2010). However, failing to embrace the suggested solutions could derail the attempts to mitigate gender inequality that could possible cause serious implications if nothing happens to salvage the situation.
Social Justice Analysis of Proposed Solutions
Implementing the suggested solutions will have significant social justice. Ensuring that existing legislations and policies are implemented to the latter presents a suitable chance to achieve social justice because everyone will have the chance to pursue education regardless of their gender. Moreover, paying attention to the solution will create a scenario where enacted laws are adhered to will foster social justice because those who violate women because of their gender will become answerable for their wrongdoing (Kapur, 2019). On the other hand, creating awareness on the need to treat females as humans who deserve attention will create the chance to achieve fair treatment for everyone thus serving as a social justice. People will learn the negative effects of treating women unfairly, and will develop the urge to promote measures that discard gender inequality (Kapur, 2019). Also important towards promoting social justice is the attempts to elevate learning opportunities for girls and women. Going through the education system will offer the chance for women to know their rights and have the skills to elevate their fitting into different contexts, including the job sector (King & Winthrop, 2015). Thus, considering the effects of the recommended solutions in light of how they influence social justice show the value of working towards implementing the suggested remedies.
Conclusion
Gender inequality is a social issue that requires considerable attention from key stakeholders to avert some of the adverse effects associated with the problem. The social challenge deters women and girls from enjoying various benefits. It emerges that because of gender inequality, women fail to get a fair chance at the place of work in terms of payment and promotion. Instead, women are pushed to areas that do not have lucrative returns, thus making it difficult to empower one’s self and progress. Girls, on the other hand, lack working opportunities, are subjected to work with no or little pay, face sexual harassment, and may not progress with their education to the levels that they desire. However, it emerges that the issue of gender inequality affects other members of the society as well, including males who miss the opportunity to enjoy the diversity of incorporating women in senior positions. The analysis insinuates that knowing the chief causes of gender inequality provides a suitable chance to come up with proper remedies to the challenge. The essay identifies societal perception that men and superior to women as a major cause of gender inequality. Therefore, creating awareness that everyone is equal regardless of their gender provides a suitable chance to overturn the perception that males deserve better chances than their female counterparts. However, the analysis reveals other possible ways of dealing with the problem in addition to perming a social justice analysis to find out the effectiveness of the proposed remedies. It is essential to take the problem of gender inequality with the seriousness it deserves to save many females who have become victims of the imbalance. Nonetheless, disregarding the matter could aggravate the situation and make things more difficult.
References
Evans, D., Akmal, M., Jakiela, P. (2019). Gender gaps in education: The long view. https://www.cgdev.org/sites/default/files/gender-gaps-education-long-view.pdf
Gender Equality. (2012). Legislation. http://www.genderequality.gov.ky/legislation
Hoefer, R. (2019). Advocacy Practice for Social Justice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Inequality. (2022). Gender economic inequality. https://inequality.org/facts/gender-inequality/
Joy, M. (2016). Promoting gender diversity at work place -implications on high performance work systems in software industry in India. AJIRSET, 1(7), 1-5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313532369_Promoting_Gender_Diversity_at_Work_Place_-Implications_on_High_Performance_work_systems_in_Software_Industry_in_India
Kapur, R. (2019). Gender inequality in education. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334162862_Gender_Inequality_in_Education
King, E., & Winthrop, R. (2015). Today’s challenges for girl’s education. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/todays-challenges-girls-educationv6.pdf
Martinez, C., Paterna, C., Roux, P., & Falomir-Pichastor, J. (2010). Predicting gender awareness: The relevance of neosexism. Journal of Gender Studies, 19(1), 1-12. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326541238_Predicting_gender_awareness_the_relevance_of_neosexism
Mikkola, A., & Miles, C. (2007). Development and gender equality: Consequences, causes, challenges and cures. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43610432_Development_and_Gender_Equality_Consequences_Causes_Challenges_and_Cures
Selby, D. (2018). Gender inequality is bad for men’s health, report says. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/gender-inequality-mens-health/#:~:text=Traditional%20gender%20stereotypes%20that%20keep,issues%2C%20according%20to%20the%20study.
Smyth, E. (2007). Gender and education. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226709274_Gender_and_Education