Most of us may think it’s a kind of a boring topic: The gender pay gap. Why do we have a fancy name for this “problem”? It’s quite simple, to be honest, men work more than women, and they deserve higher pay.
Why are girls and women so emotional about this topic? Sometimes, gender doesn’t have anything to do with this issue. We can just label it as “the pay gap”. What’s the point of voicing out on this issue when no one is even listening or paying attention?
Cruel statements, I know. Unfortunately, this is what many people think about this key issue today.
The truth can hurt us sometimes. As girls and young women enter the harsh workforce, they are faced with multiple challenges, which include being treated unfairly by society and colleagues.
Girls are not foreign objects, or even a different species. They are human beings with intelligence, abilities, and feelings, just like guys. They have faced gender challenges since they were children.
For instance, at home, most girls are trained or brought up to do chores, and in some cases, skip school to help take care of younger siblings, while boys are required to study hard and earn for the family.
How would you feel if your parents forced you to stop doing something you’re passionate about, and make you do something you hate, while your brother gets off scot-free just because he’s a boy? Don’t you think it’s unfair?
It doesn’t stop at home. Girls continue to receive unfair treatment at school, and throughout their working life.
As a young women’s rights advocate, I have always wondered why this happens. What are the causes?
• Family responsibilities
Women tend to choose to care for their children, rather than focus on the job/field they want. This results in them working part-time, with fewer opportunities for career advancement. According to the World Economic Forum, studies have shown that the gender pay gap increases after childbirth, resulting in women’s pay being about a third below that of men.
• Discrimination
The International Labour Organisation says that the average pay gap between men and women around the world is roughly 20 per cent. The gender wage gap is partially explained by individual factors, including education, working hours, social inequality, abilities, and experience. A significant portion is caused by discrimination based on gender.
• Value
In society, the economy, politics, and the law, men have generally been regarded as being more powerful than women. Because of this, women have a smaller gender impact than men. In most situations, men have far more influence than women, especially when it comes to decision-making. Today, this has given men a lot more power. Historically, this has rendered women helpless and subject to constant torment. However, within the community, women are the ones who can affect impactful change. Families, communities, and society, benefit when women have a greater and more powerful gender imprint.
These are just a few of the reasons. There are multiple reasons why girls and young women face this issue.
“Okay … and what am I supposed to do?” you may ask.
One person can’t change this reality. We need society to stand up to this injustice. We need women and men to question this disparity.
We must work together to provide quality, flexible jobs that allow men and women to balance ambition with family responsibilities.
Family responsibilities should not only be shouldered by women, but by men as well. Men and women should be able to take responsibility at home and at the workplace.
We must reassess promotions, bonuses, and benefits. Many organisations have unintentional biases in favour of men when it involves promotions, rewards, and increased pay. This is because they believe men will be more committed and they won’t get pregnant, and go on maternity leave. Some companies think that men won’t quit their jobs in favour of staying at home to take care of the kids.
Imagine that. Before a woman is even hired, her potential bosses have already decided that she will leave the job to take care of a family she doesn’t yet have. Besides, hiring a man doesn’t mean he won’t leave the company. How do you win a war when all the chips are already stacked up against you?
We can all play our part. For starters, ensure that your company isn’t prioritising men over women. The playing field needs to be level.
Every little action that we take can affect and help women in this issue. Most women who have faced gender pay disparity, have become advocates, speaking up against this unfairness.
As American author and journalist Maria Shriver said, “When we pay women less than men, we’re telling women their work isn’t valuable. We’re all equally valuable. And we should be paid equally.”
Do we want our daughters to think they are less valuable than boys?
Do we want our sons to think they deserve higher pay just because they are boys?
Is this the future we want for them?
To give the younger generation an avenue to express themselves, Twentytwo13 has a dedicated space called Young Voices. If you are a young writer (aged 17 and below) and would like to have your article published on our news website, send your contribution to editor@twentytwo13.my.
All articles must be accompanied by the young writer’s full name, MyKad number, contact number, and the mobile number of the young writer’s parents/guardians for verification purposes.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
