the gender gap

I believe that the wage gap exists in modern day society. Women are still underpaid and underrepresented in many fields. Although there may be data that suggests the gender gap is closing, much of this information is skewed. First, it is hard to say the gender gap has closed in recent years because there is little information for gender separation in the workforce prior to the women’s movements. The data collected was usually based on race due to the fact that the data was studying segregation and civil rights.
Secondly, the wage gap data is based on hourly pay. Hourly pay constitutes for most of the wages people receive however there are other aspects to a person’s income such as overtime pay, bonuses, commission, etc. The opportunity to obtain these types of pay might not be available equally to men and women. Because of society’s view of what women should act like, women must watch and care for the children, clean the house, etc. This takes away time when they could be working overtime to make more money.
Another problem with the data obtained for wage gap studies is that it does not include part time workers. The majority of part time workers are women. Therefore, a large amount of women are not included in the study.
Although there seems to be a higher number of women who are engineers, doctors, business professionals, etc., these occupations are still largely dominated by men. As shown by a study in our text, most women are secretaries, nurses, or teachers (444). Some women may choose this profession because it is their ideal job. However, I believe that many women are forced into these professions by the norms of society. There is a 70-30 split of housework done, 70 percent by females and 30 percent by males (Women’s Voices 431). Women are more likely to take care of the children at home. This time spent by women inside the home is not only done for free but it takes up valuable time that a woman could be spending on her career. Society puts a burden on women that stops them from moving up the career ladder. This idea of the glass ceiling is visible to the women who suffer from the restrictions put on them, but to others these burdens are just part of everyday life (448). Unless society changes or women “disobey” the norms, the glass ceiling will continue to prevent women from dominating certain career paths.
The wage gap is an important problem that should be fixed because it forces many into poverty. There are more women who deal with poverty every day than men in the United States (449). Women who are single handedly raising children work as many hours as they can but because of the difference in wages of the sexes, they still have trouble making ends meet. Data studies that show the wage gap is decreasing in size need to be reevaluated taking into account all women, part time and full time, the minority and the majority, single and married, with or without children. These studies are the first step in a series of events towards a smaller wage gap. We must improve the conditions of part time workers because most of these workers are women. We must allow equal opportunity for overtime work and bonuses. We must improve the conditions of maternity leave so that women are not at a disadvantage when they return to work. Lastly, we must educate women on the issues behind the wage gap. Women must realize the disadvantage they are in so that they do not give up when they are treated wrong or find out their salary is much less than a man they work with.

Born into Brothels

Born into brothels is a documentary film about children growing up in India’s “red light” district. They are surrounded by poverty and illegal acts. Many are sold, married off at an early age, or forced into prostitution. Their families are part of the “line” and some even encourage the children to follow in their footsteps. The documentary is produced by a British photographer who decides to actually live in the same conditions as the children. She teaches them everything she knows about photography, equips them with cameras and film, and hopes to change their lives as they presently know them. She succeeds in many cases to change their lives for the better. Many are sent to boarding schools or film conventions. Some of the children’s parents are scared of the changes that are happening in their lives, while others are excited for the future’s their children could have. Some of the children become successful in escaping from the brothels, some are forced to stay, and others return on their own wishes.
This movie assesses the idea of prostitution, an idea that we have discussed in class. Prostitution in our country I believe is a way that men show power over women. Although there may be some of the same connotations in other countries of prostitution, most of the women and children in this movie felt they had no other choice but become a sex slave. They did not see opportunities to earn money any other way. It is the only way they know how to earn money because their families have been in the “business” for generation after generation. The idea of prostitution in India is much like the idea of the glass ceiling of early and present day America. Women have been held down by society’s restrictions placed on them. In the same way, these women are held down by poverty and government rules. As shown in the movie, it was very difficult to obtain a passport, medical records, etc., for these children to go to school. Furthermore, because these children were those of criminals, they were not allowed into many boarding schools. This creates a chain of prostitution and crime because the children have such a hard time escaping the lifestyle of the brothels.
I really enjoyed this film. It reminded me a lot of my trip to Guatemala this past summer. We stayed at a children’s’ home while we were there. The home was mostly for children who suffered sexual abuse. These children were given education in hopes that they could go to college in the United States. They are very lucky compared to other children who lived in the remote villages or on the streets. We were told that some of the children as young as ten were victims of prostitution in one village. Many women were scared to come to the clinics we set up in the villages for fear that they would be abused or harassed by men of the villages. Prostitution and crime are a huge problem in third world countries. These problems are often overlooked because people do not realize that these children are not choosing these lifestyles. Although in the United States, prostitution is a problem, many may choose this lifestyle. It may be difficult for some citizens to find other jobs, but there are many jobs available to them. They have a much larger opportunity to be schooled in a public school, hold a decent job in the community, and find help from an organization in the United States. Other countries make it hard for people to escape these type of conditions because the government rules and regulations are not in their favor. We must realize these problems around the world and try our hardest to put a stop to them, whether they be by the government, organization, or even an individual. Education and awareness are the most important way for us to stop these problems in other countries.