Women And Pay Gap Essay

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The impact the women's movement has had on the wage gap

The women's movement is a social, political, and economic movement that sought equal rights and opportunities from the 1960s through the present day. The movement touched on many issues addressing women, such as reproductive rights, workplace equality, domestic violence, sexual harassment and assault, and unequal pay. While the women's rights movements have annually reduced the wage gap, professions with higher social relevance still yield less income for women, even though increased labor forces and equal pay marches have pushed them to seek higher responsibility and respect in society. The wage gap has decreased over recent years, but it persists nonetheless.

The wage gap is the …show more content…

When looking at gross income for female athletes, they are still making significantly less than their male counterparts, but they are now making more when compared to the money they bring into their respective industries. For example, men in the NBA make an average of 7.3 million dollars a year while females make just over 100 thousand a year; even though that disparity is substantial, the NBA brings in 10 billion dollars annually, and the WNBA does not make a profit. If both sexes were paid proportionally, women in the league would be losing money, but the recent women's movements for equality have still allowed them to make a comfortable living. Regardless, there still needs to be a more extensive infrastructure to support them at the same level as men. That might be partial because men can compete at a higher physical level, but either way, resources are being poured into women's sports to keep them afloat. The women's rights movements to reduce the pay gap, when it comes to sports, should be less targeted at those paying women's salaries, and the focus should be shifted towards bringing more money to the WNBA. These same patterns are seen in most professions, where it takes extensive practice and dedication to master. When …show more content…

Since the movement's inception in 1848, there has been a noticeable increase in female representation in the workforce. One hundred fifty years ago, 11 percent of women in America were part of the labor force, whereas 48 percent actively participate in the workforce today. In the past, many jobs were considered "men's jobs" and were off-limits to women, but this has changed due to the women's movement. Women today are represented in a broader range of industries and job types, such as doctors and lawyers. In the 1800s, women were "rarely admitted into universities, but if they managed to be accepted and pass every test with flying colors, they were often still banned from actually practicing." Today, women work in various jobs taking impactful roles in countries and established businesses worldwide. Even though the wage gap doesn't yield a perfect 1:1 ratio, the gap is steadily decreasing with the constant efforts led by