Workplace Discrimination against Women

Workplace Discrimination against Women

Discrimination and abuse of human rights have been a constant phenomenon as long as
humanity has existed. Indeed, the fight for human rights especially women rights in the
workplace has gained traction and attention over the past few decades courtesy of feminist
groups and women rights groups. Women in both developed and developing countries admit that
the problem of gender discrimination transcends economic boundaries. The problem of gender
discrimination manifests itself in different forms, such as unequal pay, sexual harassment and
biased job appraisal modalities (Velez et al., 2018).Therefore, in this essay will highlight
elements of workplace discrimination against women in different scenarios of workplace.
Indeed, in the work environment, it is documented that women tend to cite underpayment
in similar work tasks similar to their male counterparts. According to data from the national labor
statistics, there are disparities in pay-scales between males and females performing same tasks
with likewise qualifications. Further, there is staggering and disproportionate rate of pay-scales
for women of color and those of other persuasions.
In the same breadth, the gender discrimination and harassment targeting women entails
the prejudiced hiring or firing processes by some employers based on gender. Despite the
landmark federal law o in the United States prohibiting the employment pegged on
discrimination on several accounts such as sex, race, origin or color, discrimination of women at
work environment is still rife. Job promotions happen on account gender in some instances
through the façade of glass ceiling (Dickens & Chavez, 2018). Even in organizations where
white women are equal in number with their counterparts, white women are skewed in their
representation with less holding influential or managerial positions on average. Indeed, the
disparities on representation in influential positions occur even in situations where the women

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have higher qualifications of higher education as revealed by data in national statistics by year
2019.
Discrimination of women at workplace also manifests itself forms of derogatory language
or slurs which is used within the work setting. The federal law particularly Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, stipulates that discrimination based on sex is highly prohibited and therefore
is considered as illegal. As a result, ways that are insidious and unethical such as unsolicited acts
and behaviors such as verbal and physical abuse oriented towards the sex of a person is
considered workplace discrimination (Dickens & Chavez, 2018). Along same lines, the forms of
sexual harassment directed at women assume forms such as inappropriate sexual jokes laden
with metaphors based on sexual slurs and actions of males with authority such as forceful or non-
consensual touch. In same breadth, the bosses with authority at the workplace request sexual
favors to facilitate the process of promotion.
Along similar lines, it is better to consider that perpetrators of workplace discrimination
towards women as not originating from men alone. Perpetration of discriminatory acts aligned
towards women are perpetrated by all sexes in the work-place. For instance, data from the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission shows that black women are disproportionately impacted
through workplace discrimination (Velez et al., 2018). Indeed, according to Kimberlie Crenshaw
a race theory scholar black women tend to experience discrimination which is two fold. Black
women are discriminated based on sex and race.
The disparities towards women especially women of color is multifaceted. According to
the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) women of color have the highest participation rate in the
workforce. However, the historically data shows that, Native American women, Asian American,
African-American, Latinx and Hispanic women are undervalued in promotion positions in the

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work place. Typically, the group of women receive-low pay and lack sufficient benefits such as
parental leave, sick leave and flexible work options particularly for women with children. Again,
the group of women experience discrimination and bias in employment and hiring oriented
towards their race and gender serving as systematic and structural barriers.
In sum, the problem of gender discrimination manifests itself in different forms, such as
unequal pay, sexual harassment and biased job appraisal modalities. Historically data shows that,
Native American women, Asian American, African-American, Latin and Hispanic women are