Term Papers on Equal Pay For Equal Work

Term Paper Title	Equal Pay For Equal Work
# of Words	805
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	3.22

Equal Pay for Equal Work

Libby Gonzales
Mrs. Bruce
Woman Studies
7 May 1998

     Sexism is a central fact of all women's lives, although it wears many different faces.  A recent study by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau revealed some very distressing facts.  Men and women with the same qualifications are not being paid or rewarded equally.  Out of all the possible earnings for one person during 1995, white men averaged 100%, and white women 71.2%, black men brought in 75.9% while black women brought home 64.2% (Department of Labor Bureau 1995).  Sadly, Hispanic men earned 63.3% and last place were the Hispanic women, who only earned 53.4% of all earnings for 1995.  All of these people were equally qualified for the jobs performed.  These statistics are oppressive since women and minorities have proven that they are just as capable, if not more, to perform the same work as white males.  Moreover women have evolved to become the breadwinners in most families, thereby proving that it is possible to have a family and a career simultaneously.  However, most women are not moving up the corporate ladder, and those that do are constantly had to prove themselves to their male counterparts.  As if that was not enough, upon their climb to the top women are bumping into the "glass ceiling".
     "The glass ceiling refers to invisible, artificial barriers that prevent qualified individuals from advancing within their organization and reaching their full potential" (Catherwood 1).  The term originally described the point beyond which women managers and executives, particularly white women, were not promoted.   Today, it is evident that intangible ceilings and walls exist throughout most workplaces for minorities and women.  "These barriers result from institutional and psychological practices, and limit the advancement and mobility opportunities of men and women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds" (Catherwood).
     Women have been disqualified from construction and other relatively well paid heavy labor because they are said to be too weak for it.  However, the most prestigious men's jobs and those that pay more, in general, do not require physical strength, while much of women's traditional, unpaid or underpaid work involves strenuous physical labor.  Nurses must sometimes lift heavy, immobilized people, and housework frequently involves carrying and pushing heavy, awkward loads.  In many cultures, women are respo...

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