We hear it all the time: “Times have changed,” and this is most certainly true when we think of ‘women in business’.
Today we see women making outstanding moves in fields known to be dominated by men for centuries. However, most of us are aware that this wasn’t always the case. It’s no doubt been a long and arduous journey for women to establish themselves as equals in the labour force.
For the most part, women have come a long way from being oppressed, both in the home and the workplace. Men and women have always been at odds with each other in society. Society has been harsh to both genders, in some cases. Men have always had to keep up this façade of being the ‘one in charge’, in every situation possible. They needed to be the man of the house at home, the boss at work and nothing less than strong and masculine in between. Women weren’t the only ones with difficulties finding their footing.
Still, women have a harder time meeting men on the corporate ladder. Times have changed, but gender discrimination is still a huge problem here in the Caribbean and worldwide. There are a lot of controversial topics trending right now but ‘gender discrimination’ has taken a backseat for now. Race, however is the number-one topic on social media. Women of colour in business is almost a double whammy.
Gender equality is an important goal for both men and women. There are men who believe women should be given a fairer chance in the corporate world. We can’t blame all men, and we won’t. However, those who do believe in gender equality, don’t really understand it from a woman’s point of view. Even today, women are told to do the jobs that are suitable for their gender, not their skill. Many times you find that women are turned away because they’re just that … women. Let’s say a woman wants to be an architect, a contractor or construction worker. It’s possible that they’ll get there. Women weaving their way through a ‘man’s world’ isn’t unheard of and it’s not impossible but it’s definitely not the easiest journey.
Men and women generally progress at different stages. Women are known to excel quicker than men when it comes to education, but they still grow side by side. They attend the same schools, graduate and move onto the working world. That’s about where the similarities end, according to the Wall Street Journal. When business intervenes, they’re no longer on the same level. Men and women see the workplace through different eyes.
Men tend to be more confident and they are awarded the challenges to prove themselves. Women, on the other hand, gravitate more towards self-doubt than anything else. According to ‘The Every Girl’, “these challenges are magnified for women working in male-dominated fields. From “bro-culture” to assumptions that you don’t know how to do your job on the basis of your gender, women working in these fields go to work every day already saddled with the task of proving their worth and abilities — a weight their male colleagues do not bear.”
Then, there’s the ugly truth. According to CNBC, women still earn less than men even when doing the same job. Of course, the wage gap varies, depending on the industry but overall, women make about 76 cents for every dollar a man makes.
In an article entitled ‘The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap,’ political scientist, psychologist and researcher for The American Association of University Women (AAUW), Kevin Miller explained how women are paid less than men in the workplace. In 2016, women were paid 80 percent of what men were paid, a gap of 20 percent. While that gap has decreased over the years, due to women now being allowed a proper education, it is still a constant reminder that women are punished for climbing the corporate ladder.
Nevertheless, women have come a long way from not being allowed to drive, show skin or work outside the home. In more than a few countries, women are still being told how to live their lives, to the extent that they’re prisoners in their own homes. Times have changed, but not nearly enough.
