Gender Discrimination in the Technology Industry
Approximately 42 percent of women in the United States of America say they have experienced gender discrimination (Parker, Funk). Gender discrimination is illegal in the United States of America, however, in the technology industry in the United States of America, it is an enormous problem. Women in positions from computer programming to technical chief of staff in the technology industry are experiencing gender discrimination. According to the survey done by The Elephant in the Valley, “88 percent have experienced clients/colleagues address questions to male peers that should have been addressed to them” (“The Elephant in the Valley”). There have been recent lawsuits against technology giants such as Kleiner Perkins, Telsa, Uber, and Google regarding gender discrimination (Kolhatkar). These lawsuits have brought awareness to the problem of gender discrimination in the technology industry. Women in the technology industry are experiencing sexual harassment, unequal pay, passed by for leadership positions, stereotyping, and uncomfortable environments where they feel excluded from their coworkers.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN TECHNOLOGY Women often experience sexual harassment in the technology industry. A recent survey done by The Elephant in the Valley, found that 60
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Sexual harassment, unequal pay, and women lacking in leadership roles are contributing to an unwelcoming environment for women to thriving inside a technology company. All positions in this field are male-dominated, and female retention is low. Women are leaving at a 45 percent higher rate than their male coworkers (“Why Women Leave the Tech Industry”). Women are often excluded from meetings or asked to do things such as get coffee. Women are treated as sectaries rather than equals to their coworkers. The culture of the technology industry is excluding and disrespectful to
In today’s society despite of the progress women have reached there are still barriers that are placed in society. According to author “Thirty-four percent of all families headed by women are poor: the rates are higher for African American women, Latinas and Native American women, and the rate has been increasing” (Andersen, 2015, p. 3). The previous statistics reveal that even living in a society were “equality for both genders” is usually advocated, women’s are still suffering the biggest discrimination in the workplace and in society. Even professional women working full time are being paid less than males. Moreover, professional women are continuously suffering from barriers such as the glass ceiling effect this clearly affect women from raising to upper level positions.
Furthermore, Olsson presents us with another alarming fact that show that not only it is almost impossible to get promoted in Walmart, it is more difficult to get promoted if the employee is a female. According to Olsson, “Wal-Mart today has the same percentage of women in management that the average company had in 1975” (5). In other words, the percentage of women in management did not change from 1975, when women weren’t equal in a work atmosphere as they today. Olsson provides statistic that improves her argument and reveals Walmart unfairness.
In the article Why Women are Leaving the Tech Industry in Droves by Sue Gardner, published by the LA Times on December 5th 2014, Gardner attempts to explain to people in the Silicon Valley tech industry why the number of women in tech positions is dwindling, and why they should make an effort to get more women involved. By using both statistical and personal evidence to prove the lack of female representation in technology, and by heavily relying on ethical, emotional, and logical appeals, Gardner effectively emphasizes her opinion of the Silicon Valley tech industry as misogynistic. Throughout her argument, Gardner relies on ethos to establish her credibility by citing her personal experience, strong association, and former ties with the technology
Women provide another voice and point of view that your company would otherwise sorely miss. Having a gender diverse workforce can improve decision-making and increase innovation. Gender discrimination in the workplace continues to be a major problem in the workplace despite the passing of time since laws such as Title VII or the Equal Pay Act were enacted to combat the issue. Sexual or gender discrimination at work occurs whenever an individual is treated differently on account of their gender and may affect anything from hiring decisions to promotions. Relatedly, sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination similarly prohibited by federal law.
There are more doctors, professors, writers, dentists, lawyers, than ever. However, women are still misrepresented in areas such as Congress and the top positions in the business world, such as CEO’s, board members, and executives. While the movement for women has been a long battle, the battle is far from over. Diversity is necessary and will be necessary for years to come. Therefore, the equality of women in the workplace is just as
In today’s economy women are moreover subjected to being judged by their age, their looks, or in a lot of cases by the way that they dress. The “glass ceiling” is also a form of gender discrimination. The glass ceiling refers to the invisible barriers that disable women from getting higher ranks because, majority of the upper level positions are passed by them and given to the men in the company. “Sex or gender discrimination in the workplace is defined as treating someone unfavorable because, of the persons sex, whether they are applying for the job or are already a present employee at then establishment. The Equal Pay Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex in the payment of wages or benefits.
Gender Stratification in The Workplace Over the years, women have fought their way through the various barriers thrown at them by society, they are now more educated, matching male participation rates in the labour force and they are seen to create more opportunities for themselves in the workplace. Despite these achievements, gender stratification still exists in organizations and corporations in the 21st century; this paper seeks to analyze the numerous reasons why women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in the workplace and how this causes a trickle-down effect for other females in non-managerial positions. One of the major factors influencing the progress women experience in their career advancement stems from the deep cultural-infused gender stereotypes associated
INTRODUCTION. Sexism towards women in the workplace also known as occupational sexism is one of the oldest form of discrimination against women. Despite increasing campaigns on gender equality and feminist movements worldwide, working women continue to fight for equality especially in white-collar setings. Though there has been profound progress through the years, working women continue to face more challenges as compared to men both in the western as well as developing countries. Studies now show that the Equal Pay Act passed in the United States in 1963 to abolish gender based salary differences is not being enforced as women continue to earn less than their male counterparts in the same field (Campos,2015).
Sexism: Got equality? Have you ever gone to the doctor and got a shot? How about used a car heater? Or even a dishwasher? Who invented these everyday items?
In other words, workplace discrimination contributes to women’s lower socio-economic status which hence lead to women having to settle for low payed jobs or having the secretory-boss kind of relationship in order to be promoted. Most feminists writing about organizations assume that organizational structure is gender neutral but gender inequality in organizations is a complex phenomenon that can be seen in organizational structures, processes, and practices. For women, some of the most harmful gender inequalities are acted out within human resources practices. This is because human resources practices which include policies,
The fact also arises that women not only suffer from lack of recognition for the work they do in households but also for their work in their jobs. Women work as much as men, if not more. When both paid and unpaid work such as household chores and caring for children are taken into consideration, women work longer hours than men—an average of 30 minutes a day longer in developed countries and 50 minutes in developing countries. This is known as second shift, where women not only work at their jobs but also come back home and complete their household chores. However their contribution remains minimum due to unequal wage pay and lack of consideration given to household chores.
Gender is the state of being male or female. Revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favour of a new system. Therefore, Gender Revolution is the overthrow of gender discrimination, in favour of both men and women. Women, as well as men, have made great strides to equality, but inequality persists. Women have fought for many years for their place in the workplace, but that fight isn’t over.
What can be done to overcome prejudice towards Gender Equality? Gender equality entails protecting human rights, an economic necessity that allows women’s financial autonomy and national progress, and a country’s outlook on international relations. It affects childbirth rates, the quality of life and longevity of those children, and the type of life of the mother. The struggle is so vital to global stability and success that the United Nations (UN) addresses it in their sustainable development goals.
Gender Equality is the only way forward. What is gender equality? Gender equality is achieved when all genders enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society, including economic participation and decision-making, and when the different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued and favored.
Wage Wars Protecting our basic civil rights in the United States is a recognizable value that all citizens want to obey or carry out. Civil rights are rooted on the idea of any citizen not receiving equal or fair treatment compared to the people around them. Although this is true, a major issue in today’s society that I have discovered revolves around the difference in gender equality and the gender wage gap in the workforce. Some people believe that females are not as capable as males causing a flux in the wages paid for the same job, however this is a stereotype that needs to be exterminated.