Question

What kinds of treatment discrimination do women usually face in the workplace? Discuss the research on this topic, and supplement it with some of the issues mentioned in the section on women’s experiences in selected occupations.

Some people claim that the wage gap can be entirely explained by the fact that women are more likely than men to stop working once they have children and that women have less education than men. How would you respond to this claim? How should the concept of comparable worth apply to women’s and men’s salaries?

Compare the experiences of employed women and employed men with respect to the labyrinth metaphor, the sticky floor, and the glass escalator. Also compare the personal characteristics of men and women who have the same high-prestige occupation.

Answer 1

1. In the work place women have to face various types of discrimination. They face sexual exploitation and they are teased in various ways. They also face racial discrimination. Wage discrimination is a common factor they face. Such discriminations mainly appear in the work place.

2. The wage disparity is a common discrimination in the work place. Women are provided less salary. It is said that women have less skill. They can not do all types of work. Besides, women can not protest for such discrimination. They want to be independent. They want recognition. They are helpless. They can not do trade union. Therefore the employers do not face any type of trouble. But in reality it appears that women do more work and they are are paid less in spite of working in the same position.

3.  It is believed that women should do domestic activities. Men do have many prejudices against women. Therefore women face many problems there.   

The 'sticky floor' suggests that women are paid low wages and it is a kind of insult to them.  

In reality it appears that men possess the upper position and enjoy high prestige in comparison to women who bear same skill and quality. It also appears that in the board of directors there are few women representatives and it is the view of the whole world.

In case of the prestigious women such discriminations do not appear. They have dominant power. But surprising enough they do nothing for other women who are victim of various types of discrimination.