Sweat. Blood. Tears. Decades of strain, pain, and discrimination revolutionized the lives of our grandmothers, our mothers. Anger over the unjust constraints of our society ran thick in the blood of our loved ones. For too long, women in Australia have fought for their rights to live. To vote. To be heard. Lives once led in the darkness; screams of anguish fell on the deaf ears of a hellish government. Our society today prides itself on development. Over the last 50 years, the changes seen in Western society have been monumental. But yet, I still stand before you today, fighting for my place in this world. But I don’t stand alone. I am a woman amongst many, united with a burning vengeance over a condemning society. Today, what stands between the equality women are still fighting for, is the discrimination, prejudice, and bias within the workplace, that aligns itself with the inexplicable gender wage gap. The gender wage gap is the atrocious and implausible difference between what wages men earn and what wages women earn; a hefty and unjustifiable percentage, not only significantly prevalent today in Australia but worldwide. So why? Why do women still earn less than men? Why are women still struggling to achieve a place in a society that prides itself on progression? It is with a heavy heart that I, and many others alike must still have to address an issue such as this. An unjust issue that plagues the lives of women throughout Australia. The gender wage gap is a senseless, blatant disregard for the liberal movements and ideologies defined and displayed through these transformative years and completely neglects the tireless efforts of the women before us. Women who fought not only for themselves but for the future.
As of 2018, Women were earning 14.6 % less than their male counterparts. During this period, The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that full-time working women were taking home an average wage of $1433.60 a week, while men were earning $1678.40. To put that atrocity into perspective, that means that women would have to work an extra 62 days to earn the same amount of money as their equivalent male co-workers. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency says a number of factors influence this appalling gender pay gap. These include 'discrimination and bias in hiring and pay decisions, women and men working in different industries and different jobs, with female-dominated industries and jobs attracting lower wages, women’s disproportionate share of unpaid caring and domestic work, lack of workplace flexibility to accommodate caring and other responsibilities and women’s greater time out of the workforce impacting career progression and opportunities.' It’s vital that we recognize the wage gap as a reflection of a more deeply entrenched and ubiquitous issue that plagues our society. The roots of the problem lie in everyday sexism. In a system designed for the white male to thrive. As Kelly Quirk, CEO of Harrier Human Capital stated, “It’s important that we recognize the gender pay gap as a symptom of the wider and pervasive problem of gender inequality and discrimination, that women experience throughout their careers. Employers need to look carefully at each stage of the employee lifecycle and identify where bias and inequality creep in. It’s certainly unlikely that we’ll see a real move forward while we continue to entertain discourse around women’s earning potential being negatively impacted by the choices they make.” The modern workplace is a place that undervalues women’s contribution. The gender wage gap reflects the medieval beliefs that women are inherently less skilled, talented, and productive in the workforce. Beliefs certainly have no place in Australia today.
Critics often accuse the gender wage gap of being a myth. They reproach the inexplicable numbers and statistics as inconsequential. They scour for excuses, arguing that the numbers don’t take variables that could skew results into account. For example, women who have less work experience, those who work part-time, etc. Rightfully, to combat this, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency conducted further studies, comparing men and women, equal in experience and role, but alas, again not proven to be equal in pay. These critics illogically indicate that it is reasonable for women to earn less because women choose to work less, take off time to have kids, and that they choose not to search for promotional or leadership roles. In reality, research shows that these “choices” are dictated by government policy, exhibiting an absence of flexibility in the workplace and archaic, obsolete gender stereotypes restricting women’s career possibilities and education. Call it a myth, I call it an atrocious reality.
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Equality in the workplace will be achieved when people are able to access the same possibilities and reach their potential, regardless of gender restrictions. Despite our developing society, the sexism rooted within is undyingly prevalent. As a new generation, on the brink of entering the world, we must aim to fix it. To stand for the reasons we are here today. And you can! We can! How? You may ask. By simply participating in a symbolic day known as Equal Pay Day. Each year, Equal Pay Day marks the period of extra days that women need to work to achieve the same wages as men. This day raises awareness of pay inequity and intends to draw attention to and elevate this unpardonable issue on the public agenda. Simply participating in this day gives rise to a problem somehow still unacknowledged and contributes to making our society an equal and better place for all.
Both the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Workplace Gender Equality Agency data show a gender pay gap favoring full-time working men over full-time working women in every industry and occupational category in Australia. This is the reality. This isn’t the Loch Ness monster or pixie dust, this is sexism in action.
So, stand up. Like the women before us, stand up. Stand for your grandmothers, your mothers, yourselves, and your future children. It is appallingly and crystal clear that women are not valued in the workplace. And it’s about damn time we change that. Thank you.
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