Sex Discrimination at Work

Paper Summary:

In this essay, the writer examines the subject of sex discrimination at work and the writer argues that gender discrimination stems from the patriarchal system. The writer looks at socialization and claims that discrimination in the workplace is just a continuation of the children's social upbringing. The writer claims that the problem of favoring man over woman is deeply-rooted in our society. Further, the writer maintains that patriarchal socialization is so great and so complete, that gender discrimination is frequently unconscious. The writer concludes that discrimination will probably continue for some time into the future, but if women make as much progress in the next 40 years as they made since the 1960s, conditions in the workplace will be much better for them.

Outline:
How Did It Start?
Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: What's Stopping Women?
What is the Problem?
What is the Glass Ceiling?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Patriarchal societies are always male-centered. In literature, for example, including movies and TV, the male experience is considered the human experience. Until only about 20 years ago, schools taught that male pronouns were always to be used when referring to people in mixed groups. If there were 39 girls and only one boy, for example, the male pronoun was "proper" English (as in "The student will put his pencils and his books in his desk at 3:15 and get ready to go home"). This kind of male-centered message says that females are unimportant and negligible. It implies that men are human beings and women are something other. Women's work and contributions, as a result, are devalued, belittled, and often invisible. The domestic work that women do, usually unpaid, is not even defined as work. For years, schoolteachers, almost always women, were hopeful that more men would enter the field of teaching because it would help them (the female teachers) to gain respect and better pay."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gibelman, M. (2003). So how far have we come? Pestilent and persistent gender gap in pay. Social Work, 48 (1), 22-33.
• Hamm-Greenawalt, L. (2000). Babes in boyland, Internet World, 6 (6) 15 Mar., 70-82. Retrieved from WilsonSelect database 2/25/06.
• Jenkins, M. (2004). Getting the corner office. Black Enterprise, 35 (1) Aug., 78-80, 82, 85-86. Retrieved from WilsonSelect database 2/25/06.
• Johnson, A. G. (1997). Where are we? In The Gender Knot: Unraveling our patriarchal legacy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 3-23.
• Jones, S. (2001). Silicon ceiling. Crain's Chicago Business, 24 (46) Nov., 15-16. Retrieved from WilsonSelect database 2/25/06.

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