1
Wage Discrimination by Gender and Its Efficiency on the Level of Economic
Disparity
Author’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Course Name
Course Instructor
Date
2
Wage Discrimination by Gender and Its Efficiency on the Level of Economic
Disparity
Introduction
The gender wage gap is a social problem that exists and defines the difference in the team
member's payment based on gender. This gap not only points to inequality within the workplace
and organizations but also amplifies the Social Clinic Income Divide. Sociological analysis is
central to comprehending the causative factors, effects, and the possibility of eradicating gender
wage disparities. The conflict perspective conceptualizes social issues as rooted in inequalities
within society, and this essay will use it to assess the gender wage gap. The suggestion that
stands at the core of this essay is that the gender wage gap has the greatest impact on economic
inequality and should be tackled through the adjustments of policies and altering people's
perceptions alike.
It is according to the belief based on the simple average of earnings between males and
females known as the gender wage gap. According to research done on the subject, females in
the global market are paid way below their male counterparts; the pay is about 20% less than that
of males (Yi et al., 2022). It is frequently illustrated through the statistics that the average
working woman in the United States (US) earns about eighty-two cents for every dollar the
average male earns. This clearly shows there is economic discrimination that still exists in the
employment of the 'modern man' despite the several legal changes that have been made to
surmount the problem of unequal remuneration (Bilan et al., 2020).
This gap is presented in terms of average percentage, though the calculation may be done
in relation to sector, profession, level of education, and number of working hours. “For example,
3
management female employees are paid $77,000 annually which is 77% percent of what male
employees with the same position earn” (Yi et al., 2022). Unlike other forms of assessment, this
creates a physical and measurable form of inequality; it puts a face to social inequality.
From an individual's perspective, the gender wage gap is made up of the sociological
aspect that concerns gender in relation to employment. Still, one can identify that many women
remain victims of gender discrimination in the workplace, and they still experience restrictions
concerning promotions compared to men (Bilan et al., 2020). They add subjective experiences in
the way and help in perceiving wage differentiation as the result of gender stereotypes and
culture. They reveal that they feel ignored as well as face hindrances to their promotions, which
continue to keep the belief that women are inferior to men. These perceptions and experiences
contribute to making wage differences seem justified when viewed from a systemic racism and
societal norms standpoint. By eliminating the gender wage differentials involves both, the basic
policy changes, and the alteration of the perceiving of male/female working roles in the social
setting (Bertay, Dordevic, and Sever, 2020).9
The effects of a gender pay gap are negative, extensive, and experienced in various
spheres of life by both men and women. Politically, women are marginalized, and in terms of
economically, they are not as financially secure in areas of; education, healthcare, or even in
preparing to cater for their post working era like retirement. It also plays a part in women’s
poverty because single motherhood is prominent among women and they are poorer than men.
The wage differentiation continues to fuel gender stereotype as well as the opinion that women’s
work does not matter as much as men’s work.
According to the conflict perspective stem off the works of Karl Marx , social problems
are regarded as emerging from unequal distribution of power and resources in society. Wage
4
disparity by gender is a result of the practice of male privileged as a system of power relations
that serves to sustain male dominance in economic activities as well as in social relations (Bilan,
et al., 2020)
The conflict theory also categorizes the wage disparity between male and female
employees as injustice that is inevitable in capitalist societies. This view postulates that there is
perpetration of economic injustice in a way that privileges the male stakeholders and
subordinates the female counterparts. This particular wage gap is viewed as a weapon of
maintaining the primacy of men and regulating women’s work. According to the conflict
perspective, the gender wage gap can be significantly attributed to historical and institutionalized
forms of sexism that systematically devalue women's work (Yi, et al., 2022). Historically,
women's work has often been relegated to domestic and caregiving roles, which are frequently
underpaid or unrecognized. These culturally defined roles have traditionally been seen as less
valuable compared to male-dominated fields, resulting in lower wages for women. The lack of
supportive policies for families, such as paid family leave and affordable childcare, exacerbates
the economic disparities between men and women. These institutional gaps make it challenging
for women to balance work and family responsibilities, thus deepening the gender wage gap
(Bertay, et al., 2020).9
To address the gender wage gap, the conflict perspective suggests that changing the status
quo and disrupting existing power relations is essential. Proposed solutions include:
Adopting and enacting effective policies that enforce pay transparency for equal work,
regardless of gender or other discriminatory factors, is crucial (Alvarez, 2020). This includes
implementing socially inclusive policies such as paid parental leave and affordable childcare,
which can support families and help reduce economic disparities. Promoting women's
5
employment in higher-paid industries and offering programs that help women acquire valuable
skills for job retention are important steps. Encouraging women to pursue careers in traditionally
male-dominated fields can help close the wage gap by providing them with more opportunities
for higher earnings (Bilan, et al., 2020).
Creating awareness about the importance of valuing women's work equally to men's work
is vital. This involves challenging and changing popular cultural beliefs that undervalue women's
contributions and advocating for a more equitable distribution of domestic responsibilities. By
fostering a cultural shift that recognizes and appreciates women's work, society can move
towards greater gender equality in the workplace (Alvarez, 2020).
Conclusion
Considering this nature of wage difference, the gender wage gap affects economic
distribution in a very high way, originating from past and structural discrimination against
women’s labor. This problem has evolved gradually over the course of many years, which are
characterized by the cult of professionalism and the placement of women in substandard
positions in the economy. However, if we try to look at the gender wage gap through the key
concepts of conflict perspective, one is able to conclude that it is not only an economic difficulty,
but a significant sociological one as well. This perspective raises concerns pertaining to the
status differential and structural justice which is responsible for the pay gaps. In order to address
such a problem, both politics and AP & S’s culture must change, and the latter has to provide
women with equal opportunity to get a job as men do. Such changes include providing and
enacting policies on equal pay, increasing compensation openness, and advocating for work-
family balance schemes like paid parental leave and affordable childcare. In addition, cultural
6
reviews are needed to help bring into question and transform perceived low-valued women’s
work.
References
Alvarez, J. A. (2020). The agricultural wage gap: Evidence from Brazilian micro-data.9American
Economic Journal: Macroeconomics,912(1), 153-173.
Bertay, A. C., Dordevic, L., & Sever, C. (2020).9Gender inequality and economic growth:
Evidence from industry-level data. International Monetary Fund.
Bilan, Y., Mishchuk, H., Samoliuk, N., & Mishchuk, V. (2020). Gender discrimination and its
links with compensations and benefits practices in enterprises.9Entrepreneurial Business
and Economics Review,98(3), 189-204.
Yi, A. K. J., Oboh, J. S., Othman, Z., & Sufian, J. (2022). The impact of gender inequality on
economic growth: an explanatory sequential mixed methods study of female labour
participation in the civil service.9European Journal of Government and Economics
(EJGE),911(2), 210-233.
