“Women are the Majority of the US Workforce--But Working Women Still Face Serious Challenges-- CRP

Women are gaining the majority of the workforce in the United States, however challenges are still being faced. Despite it being 2020, gender inequality and stereotyping is as present as ever. Aparna Mathur discusses in “Women Are Now the Majority of the US Workforce-- But Working Women Still Face Serious Challenges” the inequalities women are experiencing in the workforce based on gender as well as the stereotypes placed upon them. Although women are experiencing discrimination in the workforce, a surge in female employment is occuring. However, because of this there has been a decline of male participation in the workforce and who is the first to blame for this? Women. The empowerment of women and their success does not take men’s opportunity for success away. It should instead lead to more equality in the workforce.

Over the past century, women have gained employment in the service sector which includes healthcare and education. With this gain in employment has come loss in pay. Amanda Weinstein, assistant professor of economics at the University of Akron, states

“Historically, we have undervalued care work because it has been seen as very feminine. And we tend to undervalue feminine jobs that involve care.” The jobs of care work are gender stereotyped. Women are expected to choose careers in this pathway. With a high demand for healthcare workers needed to care for the aging population of the US, the wages for female workers remain extremely low. The success of women gaining the majority of the workforce is hindered by the related gender and pay inequality that is experienced.

Along with gender stereotyping and pay inequality, women are being blamed for the decrease of male participation in the workforce. People argue that women are overtaking jobs, leaving men unemployed. Mathur states before women’s success is to blame that “men may be struggling to remain in the workforce for many other reasons — including the opiate epidemic and criminal records — and that more research is necessary to determine what’s happening.” Women are not the sole perpetrators driving the employment decline. The success of women in the workforce would not drive a wedge between the success of men in the workforce. It would close the inequality gap and allow more space for men and women to work alongside one another.

In conclusion, women are gaining the majority in the workforce, yet they continue to experience unjust inequality. Jobs, such as those in the service sector, are gender stereotyped and the pay wage reflects that. Along with this, a decrease in male participation in the workforce is being attributed to female success. The success of a woman does not belittle the success of a man. Instead, the success of two groups in any situation, when coming together creates an even more successful outcome. Relating this back to Women's Centers and the important role they play on college campuses in that they strive to empower females and lessen the margin of any sort of inequality experienced. Women's Centers fight for equal opportunities of success.

Word Count: 504

Law, Tara. “Women Are Majority of Workforce, But Still Face Challenges.” Time, Time, 16 Jan. 2020, time.com/5766787/women-workforce/.