Gender equality is a topic that has recognition in businesses and offices of the government. The influence of the subject has led to the corporate sector seeking to implement and address concerns on gender and work. The focus of gender is on women since men have dominated the various roles. The rise of women to become a force to reckon with in the contemporary world included those who struggled to fight stereotypes that existed in the past. When talking about gender and work, it is hard to leave out women’s empowerment and the women’s movement, which has made it relevant for politicians as leaders to incorporate and protect women’s rights. In the past, societal norms aligned with the culture and religious beliefs made women have their roles in the community. Deviating from these norms had harsh consequences, as the holy books dictate. Morals were the driving force of society, while the men sought to bring economic development. The issue of roles is becoming history since women have encroached on diverse workspaces. They have also proven to perform in all fields, including those dominated by their male counterparts. The role of women in society was to conceive, take care of children, and address family concerns. Morality was highly valued as the basic structural unit of the community was a family; a mother was at the center of the development of the family. Men worked tirelessly to provide for their families and thus indulged in work. With time, there was a shift in working culture since the dawn of the world war meant that men had to fight for the freedom of their children and women. The result was that women had to adapt and become breadwinners. The contemporary world believes in the slogan that suggests a woman can do better than men. The slogan is true since countries governed by women performed better in mitigating the covid-19 pandemic. Women have taken roles in various organizations and government entities and have worked to portray performance.
Work entails being involved in earning a living or fending for oneself. This means that there is a reward when people work, and it does not necessarily imply that money is compensation. There are people who work for personal benefits, such as fixing personal equipment or finishing a task. Work is thus a process that changes the surrounding conditions of a person. Gender roles are a sore point when referring to work, and thus the need to explore how women and men have been involved in the working culture and the changes that have taken place. Since there is a dominant stereotype and mentality about women being homemakers, there are hindrances in how they are assimilated into the job market.
Methodology
The women’s movement elaborates on the struggles women faced to have their current role in employment. Gender and work relate to how the employment sector depends on men and women. By analyzing the women’s movement, it is possible to comprehend the challenges and history of women in seeking changes in how they are assimilated into the working culture. It is evident that there have been milestone achievements in the modernized world, and this is because of the ways women fought for freedom and rights. Currently, there are complaints that are seeking intervention measures as factors such as equal pay and assimilation into executive and leadership roles are dominant. It is essential to analyze these factors that affect gender and work and their effect on the economy. The research will also explore the successes and failures of the women’s movement, which sought to bring change to the working culture. The future of gender and work is predictable, and there is anticipation for more involvement, equity, and equality in various elements of work.
Gender Roles in History
According to Nair (n.d), Christians represent 31.5% of the global population, while Muslims and Hindus contribute 23.2% and 16.3%, respectively. The cumulative contribution of the three religions is 71% of the global population, and this means that there are deep roots in religion. The principles of life revolve around religion and its teachings. The faithful low the holy books, which influence gender and work. Since Christianity is the dominant religion, it is essential to acknowledge that gender and work started in the creation story when mankind fell in the garden of Eden. After the fall, the man was punished. The book of Genesis, which describes the creation story, says in chapter 3: 16-17, “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow, thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam, he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt, thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” Reference to the Bible also relates to scripts in the Quran which agrees with the description of gender roles in the creation story. This means that gender and work started during the creation of man since a greater percentage of the world believes in the dictates of the holy books.
Gender handwork has been a topic of discussion since it has had different interpretations. The strain in the contemporary and the evolution of the employment sector has sparked changes in how the holy books dictate. From the holy books, it is possible to acknowledge that the work of women was child-bearing and needed to be ruled. The men had the role of working in the field to take care of their families. Since then, the norms have been as depicted in the Bible, but women have sought changes.
Education was for men, but as time went by, women started getting assimilated into the education sector. More women knew how to read and write until they were able to author books. In 1495, Christine de Pizan wrote a book that questioned the role of women in society. It seemed like women were treated like animals courtesy of the hardship they went through (der Frauen). The role of the book in changing women’s treatment and how they were perceived in work started taking effect. Later, during the french revolution, women marched to the streets of Versailles to demand political change and food to feed their families.
Afterward, Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen in 1791 (Fayziev, 2019). The book effectively exposed the failures of the french revolution in promoting gender equality. The consequences awaiting Olympe de Gouges included execution. The popularity of revolutions among women was spanked, resulting in its introduction in the Northern parts of the United States of America. Gender equality is a crucial subject since it relates to the reception of women and work.
Women on the Margins
“Women on the Margins” is a book that describes how owners in the 17th century adapted to work despite the unwelcoming environment. During the 17th century, work among men was a common feature as they dominated industries and businesses. There was little use of women in the job market as they focused on taking care of the children. Although the state was depressing for women, people didn’t know that it was the start of a revolution that would change how gender and work were portrayed. The achievements of the women described in the book have been monumental since their work has been documented, and some of the structures developed are in existence.
Since gender is an issue that focuses on women, “Women on the Margins” by Natalie Zemon Davis depicts the struggle of women living in the 17th century (Davis, 2019). The book uses three stories of women to depict the struggle of gender and work. The 17th century was a period when male dominance was inevitable. There were strict laws guiding how women and men worked. The book refers to the story of three women, including Glikl bas Judah Leib, Marie Guyart, and Maria Sibylla Merian. Gill is a Jewish woman who narrates her story about taking care of twelve children, managing two marriages, and a business. Glikl encounters challenges trying to multitask to bring up her children in a desirable way, and her story narrates her encounter in her quest to attain financial freedom and help develop her family. As a merchant of Metz and Hamburg, she grows a successful business despite having responsibilities and staunch culture men who are trying to outcompete her.
Marie de I’Incarrnation also referred to as Marie Guyart, lost her husband while still young and her sister since she was of the catholic faith. After joining the sisterhood, she became a visionary in her position while at the Ursuline sisters. Afterward, she achieves greatness as she confounds a Christian school for Amerindian women. In fact, her school is the first christian establishment to help Amerindian women in North America. She worked in Quebec, and much of her letters and works explained what transpired among the Iroquois, Montagnais, Huron, and Algonquin people. Another character is Maria Sibylla Merian, who is a German naturalist and painter. Her interest in tropical insects in Africa makes her beat the societal norms, and she decides to leave her husband to join a protestant sect in the Netherlands. Women took on roles and went against all odds to work and establish businesses. The aftermath recognized the role of women in mastering their destinies. The influence of men in work depreciated since women proved to be crucial.
Women’s Movement
The history of the women’s movement depicts the struggle to have equality in gender roles. Education was the enlightening factor that drove the actualization of the dreams of women since it gave them the power to think outside their roles at home. In the past, the focus of education was on the men who used it to dominate, rule, conquer and expand empires. The role of a woman was despised since there were no recognizable differences made for people to see. The men got all the praise since changes in the economy of a country were attributed to the leadership which was dominated by men.
The foundation of the United States of America is based on strict principles of Christianity. This explains why there were differences in the application of rights and freedoms between men and women. The role of women was established as they took part in child-bearing and taking care of home affairs. The men were involved in farms and businesses to provide the basic necessities for their families. Although this was enough for the era, the women were dissatisfied and felt like they needed to play a role in work. As women sought to make impactful decisions and be involved in crucial processes that dictate the direction of families and organizations, and governance, the struggle for freedom started.
The women’s movement was a force to reckon with as it influenced the political al regime to the extent that policies and Acts were passed in favor of women. The United States of America got its independence in 1776 and the constitution adhered to the dictates of Christian principles. This meant that women had to stay on their course of duty and work as mothers. The women’s movement started in 1848 when Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia organized a conference in Washington, DC. The conference attracted many participants as it was attended by over 300 women to address the issues and concerts, thus directing the steps to take for freedom to occur.
The start of the movement sparked the occurrence of demonstrations and legislative battles that increased the power of women. The constitution was amended to allow women to vote. Currently, there are several aspects of governance that require the inclusion of women. The act of introducing women to the working culture has empowerment, thus leading to a lack of opportunities for men. Increased support and lobbying forced Congress to pass the 19th amendment in June 1919. The changes started occurring in the way society received women as they started taking roles in the industries and the education sector. There are several scholars who have contributed to modernized scientific and societal innovations, and an example is Marie Curie, who discovered Radium.
After the second world war, women's groups started organizing, and demonstrations arose as women took influencing roles, thus the fight for more protective and equal rights in careers and politics. The first wave of female activism sought to change legal rights, and its success facilitated the introduction of the second wave, which had an objective to change work, politics, sexuality, and family. In 1963, Betty Freidan wrote “The Feminine Mystique,” which lobbied for equal pay and job opportunities. The book became a bestseller and depicted the chains limiting the potential of women as they remained imprisoned in their homes.
The book excited the need for changes in the working culture to incorporate more women leading to the introduction of unions. Women feel they can do better than men; thus, there are groups that protect the rights of the girl child to the extent that the law is lenient on them. The current state of gender and work is actualizing the dreams of women who felt there was a need for liberation. More women have entered the job market, while others have become high achievers in businesses and education. It is visible that there’s an increase in women entering the Forbes list of billionaires, thus depicting the rise of women in work.
Impacts of the Movement
According to Figure 1 below, it is visible that the contribution of women to the labor force has been increasing. This means that more women have gained employment leading to men taking household roles. Men are less powerful as women play a role in family management. There are also negative effects on society’s overall health as neuroticism increases and divorce cases grow exponentially. Women can decide on their pregnancy, leading to abortion, while the rate of single parenthood increases. After being granted the right to vote, women have influenced the political realm by proving capable of holding various leadership roles. Currently, the vice president of the United States of America is a woman. The power of a woman’s vote affects the campaigns, and the political sector has recognized the need to address women’s concerns. If the parties do not have policies that support the agenda postulated by the women’s movement, there is a likelihood of not winning. Presidential candidates have imposed tactics of taking female running mates to gain the favor of the female population.
Figure 1
Title: Labor Force Participation rates.
Image: The participation of women in the workforce has been increasing through the years. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://stats.bls.gov/data/
Gender Disparities in Work
Despite these revolutions and changes in the working culture, gender disparities in work continue to occur in the modern world. Figure 2 below depicts the occurrence of gender disparities in the workplace. Male dominance is still in effect, but there is hope in changing the current position of events to bring a state of equity. Women empowerment and feminism is growing to show women taht there is potential and power to overcome the challenges faced and those that will come. Only 14% of firms are owned by women, thus making men dominate the market by owning 86% of the businesses. 18% of women are top managers in organizations, while 36% are in senior roles (Chaudhuri et al., 2020). There are governments that have allowed female contribution to surpass that of men, as, in the New Zealand parliament, there are more female representatives than males.
Figure 2
Title: Gender Gaps in Workplace.
Image: Gender gaps that depict the need for equality and more inclusion. Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/gender-gap-equality-income-wages-solution/
Reasons for Gender Disparities in Workplace
The primary reason why there are gender disparities in work is the anatomy or biology of the human body and the roles depicted by societal norms. Although there are women who have made a mark in the workplace and research, it is visible that there are several women taking on early retirement to help establish their families (Duberley & Carmichael, 2014). Also, there are voluntary resignations which are courtesy of life processes such as taking roles of full-time mothers. This shows that although steps are being made to change the workforce contribution, there are factors that try to bring back the original state of gender roles.
References
Bible, K. J. (1996). King James Bible (Vol. 19). Proquest LLC. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%203&version=KJV
Chaudhuri, K., Sasidharan, S., & Raj, R. S. N. (2020). Gender, small firm ownership, and credit access: some insights from India. Small Business Economics, 54(4), 1165-181. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11187-018-0124-3
Davis, N. Z. (2019). Women, Jewish History, European History. Jewish Social Studies, 24(2), 33-36. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/717270/summary
Duberley, J., Carmichael, F., & Szmigin, I. (2014). Exploring women’s retirement: Continuity, context and career transition. Gender, Work & Organization, 21(1), 71-90. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gwao.12013
der Frauen, B. V. D. S. 6. Christine de Pizan in ihrer Studierstube. Eine Spur von Glück, 111. https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/9783835345386.pdf#page=112
Fayziev, K. (2019). OLYMPE DE GOUGES AND THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN. Мировая наука, (2), 19-21. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=38198408
Nair, P. M., Chacko, A. T., & Anjana, A. Age at Marriage in India-Levels and Trends: 1971-2011. Population Dynamics and Health Issues in India, 18.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ananya-Singh-18/publication/362018745_Population_Dynamics_and_Health_Issues_in_India-Final_20-6-22_GO_Print_ke_liye_1/links/62d1742ffd347a451bbff40b/Population-Dynamics-and-Health-Issues-in-India-Final-20-6-22-GO-Print-ke-liye-1.pdf#page=26
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