Written by Gillian Berloffe
CONTENT WARNING: This article contains mentions of potentially triggering topics. Please use discretion when proceeding.
The workforce was created for and designed by men. Just decades ago, women working and having a career was virtually unheard of. Now, women must work harder to get ahead and as new policies promoting DEI come under attack, the finish line is moving further away.
The gender wage gap is a constant reminder of this. On average, women earn 83 cents for every $1 earned by men. For women of color, this gap is even wider. If the wage gap was closed for one year, women in the U.S. would have enough money for 17 months of food, 10 months of rent and have the ability to pay off student loan debt in under three years.
It is often argued that this is because women “choose” lower-paying jobs or take time off for childcare, but this is simply not true.
Overall, society places greater value on work traditionally done by men. Careers in construction, engineering and finance are viewed with greater importance compared to careers in teaching, social work and cosmetology.
The wage gap is widened more when you compare the careers women typically are able to obtain without a college degree compared to mens. Women without college degrees earn a median of $35,000 per year. Meanwhile, men without degrees earn a median of $50,000 annually.
This is likely because men are accepted with open arms into higher-paying jobs that do not require degrees such as mechanics and electricians. That leaves women to scramble with low-paying secretarial jobs.
Because of this disparity, women often feel the need to obtain higher education for a well-paying career, leading to thousands of dollars of debt. And now—despite women outpacing men in college enrollment and graduation rates—we still earn less post-graduation.
None of this is to say that a woman can’t be an electrician or mechanic, but that assumption ignores the fact that society conditions women from a young age to dislike manual labor and avoid the struggles women face when they break that norm.
Female engineers, scientists and mechanics are regularly questioned regarding their competence, underestimated and actively pushed out of the field. The workplace culture of these jobs is made to exclude women and prevent them from advancing at the same rate as their male peers.
Meanwhile, when men enter traditionally female-dominated fields, they are met with praise and rapid career advancement.
For example, a career in fashion is a dream for millions of young girls. Think of famous fashion designers. Christian Dior, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein or Christian Louboutin. All of them are men. Even searching “top 10 fashion designers” will bring you to a list that only includes two women.
The very presence of a man in a female-dominated space is perceived as impressive, leading to faster promotions and higher salaries. This all reinforces the idea that men are “natural leaders” even in industries where they are the minority.
The “natural leader” concept regarding men infects society in a variety of ways, mainly how we view women and their ability to hold a leadership position.
In an analysis of over 1,000 companies, women held only 25% of senior management or leadership roles. The percentage drops further in higher leadership positions, with only 10% of Fortune 500 companies being run by female CEO’s. Because women grow up without seeing many visual representations of women in leadership, we are not encouraged to lead and the cycle continues.
When we do see women in leadership positions, they are put in a lose-lose situation. If they are friendly and show too much compassion, they are too feminine and weak. If they are assertive and confident, they are bossy and unlikable.
In one of my earlier articles discussing women in politics I said, “Be kind. Be likable. Be courteous. Be accommodating…But also be strong. Be assertive. Prove your intelligence and capability more than any man will ever need to. And most importantly never let them see you cry.” This sentiment rings true for women in the workplace as well.
Beyond pay disparities and discrimination, women regularly face harassment in the workplace ranging from inappropriate comments to unwanted advances to outright assault.
Nearly 40% of women have experienced harassment at work. However that number is likely much higher, as most women do not come forward for fear of retaliation or being labeled “difficult” by employers.
Even the quote on quote “smaller things” like derogatory comments are a major issue in terms of harassment. They further the narrative that women do not belong in the workforce and attempt to silence us.
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were designed to level the playing field and ensure workplaces are accessible for marginalized groups. However, the Trump administration’s efforts have led to a mass abandonment of DEI initiatives by many companies and organizations.
Without DEI efforts, hiring biases will go unchecked, workplace harassment protections may weaken and wage disparities will remain unchallenged. This signals an era where the workforce will cater almost exclusively to straight, white, cisgender men and push marginalized communities—including women and women of color—out.
The double-standards women face in the workplace are not accidental. They are deeply ingrained in societal norms and corporate structures. Addressing these issues requires more than just acknowledging them. It requires action.
Equal pay laws must be enforced, sexual harassment policies must be strengthened and we must confront the biases facing women and our work head on.
The question is not whether a woman would have an easier career if she were a man. We already know the answer. The real question is when will we stop accepting that as the norm?
