Gender differences and pay gaps have been dilemmas that have faced many social, and unjustifiable conflicts universally. Women have paid dearly over the years for wanting equality and justice. Gender differences and the pay gap, have been there since the beginning of time, women were perceived to be a submissive role in households, and in the workplace. Fighting for gender equality both sexes are unified to get the same rights and opportunities across society, including being treated the way they deserve, and being able to think freely about what they stand for in terms of access to justice and to economic, and social gains.
From my viewpoint of virtue ethics, on the matter of gender differences and the pay gap, I believe that deontology and utilitarianism is the best theory to apply to the question. Deontology theory states that the morality of an action depends on its consistency with moral norms, while utilitarianism theory is based on the “morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil, everyone considered” claims writer Lewis Vaughn. In the article, No change to the hourly pay gap in 10 years writer David Uren states that “the pay gap between men and women has not changed in the past 10 years, with women still earning on average 11 percent less an hour than men” (Uren). I have chosen to write about gender equality and the pay gap using utilitarian and deontology ethical theories.
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The world today is a much different world to live in for women, yet I think is much the same in other countries as it has been for many years. The gender differences and the pay gap is more complicated than many people believe. Many individuals say that men are paid more money or higher wages than women; however, there are some people that believe otherwise. Some individuals argue that women are not worthy as men in terms of educational level, some argue that is due to race and age that’s the reason why women seem to be paid less than men. Some argue that women tend to value people and family more than work and money and that preference explains a small part of the wage gap. In the article Common Question Reinforces the Gender Gap: [ Business/ Financial Desk], writer Claire Cain Miller Claims that “women continue to earn less than men, for a variety of reasons. Discrimination is one research shows. Women are also more likely than men to work in lower-paying jobs like public services caregiving and the nonprofit sector and take time off for children. Employers often base a starting salary on someone’s previous earnings, so at each job, the gender pay gap continues, and it becomes seemingly impossible for women to catch up” (Miller). However, Author Melissa Young in her article Gender Differences in Precarious Work Setting, she claims that, “ the gender differences in wages, security, work hours, and union protection suggest that women experience a great degree of precariousness women in various types of employment” (Young). However, In the book Doing Ethics Moral Reasoning and Contemporary Issues, writer Lewis Vaughn writes, “all persons deserve respect and equal opportunity in employment and education. It is essentially an expression of the fundamental moral principle that equal should be treated equally “(598).
In today's society, there have been claims where some say that gender pay has narrowed and we have reached a point where we live in a frame where there is gender equality. For example, In the article, How Can The Gender Pay Gap In Mississippi Be Explained, Author Sondra Collins argues that “although the gender gap pay has narrowed over the past thirty years, it still persists” (Collins). One ought to wonder what is equality. Based on my knowledge of what I have read in this class gender equality is when women and men have the same rights and opportunities in all parts of the world. This includes economic participation, decision making and equal pay for equal work which leads to women and men being equally valued and recommended at the same level with this in mind both men and women should obtain the same treatment and should not be discriminated against for their weaknesses or gender. In many societies’ individuals claim that there is equality for everyone, but in reality, there is still a lot of discrimination going on especially towards women at their workplaces. In the article Gender Differences in Precarious Work Setting author Marissa C. Young claims that “In the U.S., thirty-three percent of women work in part-time position compared to 12 percent of all men (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,2009). These findings are further supported by research on the gender- the wage gap, highlighting income discrepancies, despite similarities in job titles and tasks” (Young). For example, in the case of Aileen Rizo a trained teacher in the public school in Fresno, Calif., she claims that, “she discovered that her male colleagues with comparable jobs were being paid significantly more” (Miller). This is an example of unequal treatment towards women in a workplace area. In some professions, we can see the gender differences and pay gap more than in others. In the article Utilitarianism, Deontology, and The Priority of rights, author Samuel Freeman, argues that, “ certain liberties are to be equally distributed; that social positions are to be open to all under conditions of fair equality and opportunity; and that income and wealth are to be equally distributed unless unequal distribution would improve everyone share in which event institutions are to be designated so as to maximize the share that goes to worst of” ( Freeman). This will only be achieved by understanding why compensation is different between men and women; therefore, it will help businesses, governments, society at large, and individuals to tackle issues that can be addressed and improve overall productivity in the economy.
In my conclusion, I think that is unethical for women to be paid less than men, women should receive equal pay for the same action because they receive the same amount of education as their male colleagues. Therefore, it is completely injustice and unjust that women are paid less compared to their male counterparts for the same tasks because they are in the workforce just as much as men. Women are also playing their roles just as well or have the same occupation and receive the exact same amount of education. Employers should offer women equal pay for equal work as their men counterparts and treat them with the same respect as their male colleagues. Philosopher Plato once quotes that, “If women are taught the same work as men, we must teach them the same things. (Plato)” Therefore, now that women are taught the exact same thing as men and carry out the same work, I think it is the right time for employers to consider paying the same wages to both women. Author Freeman uses Rawls’s thoughts by saying that, between being fair to persons and being fair to interests or conceptions of good. “Fairness to Goodness” we should not speak of fairness to the conception of the good, but of fairness to moral persons…..it is fairness to persons that is primary and not fairness to conceptions of the good as such” ( Freeman) It is a high time for people to be aware of the calamity that is gender discrimination and people of the workforce, especially the women, should fight for their right to be treated equally in their workplace, or else gender differences and pay gap will remain, and there will never be a true balance of rights for women.
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