Advancing Gender Equality for a More Equitable Society

Introduction

Gender inequality isn’t just a female issue but a human issue. “All men are created equal,” once said Thomas Jefferson, a contributor to the Declaration of Independence. Gender inequality is a prominent issue here in America. Strikes, boycotts, and rallies regarding gender inequality try to urge people to take a stand and fight against gender inequality.

Gender Equality as a Human Imperative

Gender inequality pertains to the unfair treatment or interpretation of people entirely or even in part only because of their sex. Gender equality isn’t just women trying to get the same rights as men but both genders coming together and creating equal opportunities for each other. One question arises from this issue. Do Americans need gender equality for a better opportunity? Americans should be for gender equality because gender equality is important for both males and females in the business world, and it can help both sexes play an important role in the division of power while giving access to education and the opportunity to develop personal interests while making the country overall happier.

Gender Equality in the Business World

Gender equality is very important for both males and females in the business world. The main reason why some businesses do better than others is because they see males and females as one. The company holds males and females to the same standards and gives them equal opportunities in the company. Gender equality-supporting businesses don’t differentiate between the sexes. Instead, they recognize savvy skills and great management. Furthermore, the best companies are varied and balanced workplace which endorses and fully supports gender equality. Will Yakowicz, a staff writer at Inc., tells us that Joel Peterson, CEO of JetBlue Airlines, describes the essence of gender equality: “Men and women are equal, not the same” (Yakowicz 1). As Joel Peterson identifies, an assortment of opinions and the ability to reason is essential for a company’s success. Various opinions can be provided by having males and females with equal opportunities.

Overcoming the Wage Gap

A more prominent gender inequality in the business world is the wage gap. According to Jaime Lewis, PH.D., STATISTICIAN, FERTILITY AND FAMILY STATISTICS BRANCH, “the median earnings of women who worked full time, year-round was 79 percent of what their male counterparts earned” (Lewis 1). What Mrs. Lewis is trying to say is that for every dollar a man earns, the female co-worker earns seventy-nine cents.

Numerous studies have proven that gender equality is advantageous not only to women but also to men and to the community as a whole. Michael Kimmel, a sociologist and author of “Angry White Men,” emphasizes the importance of promoting gender equality in terms of raising the standard of happiness and well-being of the nation. By analyzing countries with a high level of gender equality, Kimmel could pinpoint the levels of happiness are well above average for both males and females. The study resulted in a clear relationship between gender equality as well as happiness. Sweden ranks tenth among the happiest countries, with the average resident rating their happiness as 7.284 out of 10. According to Sweden’s official website, Sweden has the lowest gender inequality rate at 0.837, which reflects on their happiness level.

Gender Equality and National Well-Being

Gender equality has been making progress in many industries, such as the movie industry. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy was showing powerful women, which attracted many female moviegoers. According to Kevin Fallon (Writer at The Daily Beast), “It appears that 44 percent of Guardians’ sizable audience was women, the most ever for a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe” (Fallon 1). For once, a woman has been portrayed as a pivotal character in a huge movie series.

It’s not all smooth sailing for gender equality. Many comics today still depict men as being greater than their female counterparts. On page 57 of Thor’s The Goddess of Thunder, the frost giants are seen making fun of the new lady Thor due to her gender. The giants say, “Look at her. Scrawny little thing. She isn’t worth freezing. Ain’t worth spit, near as I can tell” (Aaron 57). As you may know, females are not as physically strong as men, but Lady Thor makes it up by having godly power at her fingertips.

Education and Gender Equality

Gender inequality, although some might not want to accept it, tends to play a key role in the education of students, not only in the United States but worldwide. Colleges and universities won’t reveal this, and it’s because elite schools pertain to more experienced women than men and prefer to keep the line against the 6:4 ratio of men to women.

According to Jon Birger, an employee at the Census Bureau for Colleges, “To the young men, I say: Congrats. But just be thankful you didn’t have to apply as a woman” (Birger 1). What Mr. Birger is trying to say is that it’s way harder for women to get into elite colleges of their choosing, while Brown University was able to simply accept women and men at the same rate. Top colleges are abusing their power by making it harder for women to get into college than men instead of giving them the equal opportunity that they deserve.

Gender equality may seem like a good cause, but some people will disagree. Some say people view you as an ordinary citizen who applauds or despises your attributes at a micro level, which implies no denigration or misinterpretation; it can also be a truly frightening prospect for people today who want to seek hospitality, support, or acknowledgment based on sexual standards and prejudices. With this being said, there are people out there who still face a financial difference due to their gender. A man can be paid more for the same job as the woman is working; the same thing can be said about women.

Conclusion

Overall, Americans should be in favor of gender equality because gender equality is crucial for both males and females in the business world and can help both sexes play an important role in power division, offering access to education and the chance to develop personal interests while making the country far happier. It’s not just a female problem; it’s also a male problem too!

References

1. “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas D. Kristof
2. “We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
3. “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg
4. “The Second Sex” by Simone de Beauvoir