Since the 1960s, women’s rights have been one of the major focuses in our social and political world. According to research studies, a woman’s wage is only 79 percent of man’s wage; meaning, a woman makes $4 for every $5 that a man makes (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, 2016). On June 10, 1963, the Equal Pay Act was signed by John F. Kennedy (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, 2016). The purpose of this law was to establish equality between men and women in the workforce. Both men and women should receive the same amount of pay for the same amount of work (“The Equal Pay…”, n.d.). In addition to the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act was passed by congress in 1964. When thinking of the Civil Rights Act, usually, the first thing that comes to mind is
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In 1963, less than one in three jobs were held by women. Times have certainly changed; women work almost half of all jobs in today’s world. Even just starting out, women still earn less than men (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, 2016). Women who are eighteen to twenty-four earn about 88 percent of what a male earns at the same age. As they continue to work and get older the wage gap continues to grow. For example, women who are forty-five to fifty-four years old usually earn only 70 percent of what a male the same age earns. This gap can also increase if a woman has to take a break from the workforce for a period of time, such as maternity leave. Usually women who do not have children earn more income than women who do have children; this is called a “mommy penalty”. Surprisingly, research shows, men who have children earn more income than men who do not have children; this is called a “daddy bonus” (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, …show more content…
Because of this they are also more likely to outlive their savings and retirement. Once a woman reaches sixty-five, she is 1.6 times more likely to experience poverty and twice as likely at the age of seventy-five. Research shows that almost 12 percent of women who are sixty-five years or older are living below the poverty line today. If you remove Social Security benefits the number drastically increases from 3.1 million to about 11.7 million. This poverty rate also changes when race is taken into consideration. It is shown that African American and Hispanic women make a lower wage than white women. As a result, they are more likely to live in poverty at an older age. It is estimated that one in five women of color live in poverty (“Gender Pay Inequality…”,
In 1963, less than one in three jobs were held by women. Times have certainly changed; women work almost half of all jobs in today’s world. Even just starting out, women still earn less than men (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, 2016). Women who are eighteen to twenty-four earn about 88 percent of what a male earns at the same age. As they continue to work and get older the wage gap continues to grow. For example, women who are forty-five to fifty-four years old usually earn only 70 percent of what a male the same age earns. This gap can also increase if a woman has to take a break from the workforce for a period of time, such as maternity leave. Usually women who do not have children earn more income than women who do have children; this is called a “mommy penalty”. Surprisingly, research shows, men who have children earn more income than men who do not have children; this is called a “daddy bonus” (“Gender Pay Inequality…”, …show more content…
Because of this they are also more likely to outlive their savings and retirement. Once a woman reaches sixty-five, she is 1.6 times more likely to experience poverty and twice as likely at the age of seventy-five. Research shows that almost 12 percent of women who are sixty-five years or older are living below the poverty line today. If you remove Social Security benefits the number drastically increases from 3.1 million to about 11.7 million. This poverty rate also changes when race is taken into consideration. It is shown that African American and Hispanic women make a lower wage than white women. As a result, they are more likely to live in poverty at an older age. It is estimated that one in five women of color live in poverty (“Gender Pay Inequality…”,