The History of Gender Equality

 Women have come a long way in history. From being discriminated against because of their gender, to fighting for equal rights. Traditionally, women were portrayed as caretakers of their homes and family. They stayed home and raised their children while their husbands went to work. For a long time, women depended on their husbands financially.

 Everything changed during the Industrial Revolution when factories needed more workers. Factory owners started to hire women and children, only to pay them low wages. As little as $3 a week. During the 1820’s, many women joined unions to fight for better wages and better working conditions. The most influential union labor of the 19th century, Knights of Labor, was founded in 1869. The Knights of Labor fought for equal pay and 8-hour workdays, regardless of gender or race. Unfortunately, the Knights of Labor disintegrated and were replaced by the American Federation of Labor. 

 Women have been going on strikes to promote change for years. One of the most influential strikes for the American labor movement was the Uprising of the 20,000 strike. The strike was led by a Jewish immigrant named Clara Lemlich. The strike occurred on November 24, 1909 and lasted until February 1910. Workers in the garment industry, mainly consisted of women, were protesting for better working conditions. Most female workers were typically paid $3-$4 a day and had to work 65-75 hours a week. They also worked in unsafe and unsanitary working conditions. The demands of the workers were eventually met. They won the battle for shorter workdays, better pay, and equality for all workers.

 During World War II, many of the male-dominated industries were left desolate. 600 million women rushed to fill the vacant jobs and almost 300,000 women joined the military. After the war, many women lost their jobs. Many women began to work in retail, education, and service. Yet, they still struggled with unequal pay and low wages. In 1974, the Coalition of Labor Union Women was founded in Chicago. This union focused on women’s rights such as pregnancy disability benefits, reproductive freedom, and comparable worth. Since then, many laws were established that created gender equality in the workplace and prevented gender discrimination. Such as, The Equal Pay Act of 1963, Civil Rights Act of 1964, and The Family Medical Leave Act of 1933. These laws are proof of all the efforts of unions and strikes to bring forth change for women in the workplace. Where would we be without these women?

 Women have come a long way in the fight for gender equality. From 38% of women in the workforce in 1970 to 47% in 2015. But many people feel there is still a long way to go. According to research, women earn only 78 cents for every dollar a man earns. The average pay for women CEOs is 11.5% less than the overall average. It is evident there is still gender equality present in the workforce for women.

 The former EVP of Walmart, Susan Chambers states, “Some of the main barriers that I see women facing are the ones they set for themselves... Women need to believe in themselves and be aware of how much they have to offer — and not apologize for it.” Most CEOs state that to be successful you need to take risks and get out of your comfort zone. These qualities seem to be the same qualities that have brought on so much change.

Source:

Blake, Ben, and Jennifer Eidson. “Women's Rights.” Women's Rights | Unions Making History in America, University of Maryland, https://www.lib.umd.edu/unions/social/womens-rights.

Hur, Johnson. “History of Women in the Workforce.” From Ancient Rome To Present Time, BeBusinessEd.com, 17 Nov. 2017, https://bebusinessed.com/history/history-of-women-in-the-workforce/.

“New York Shirtwaist Strike of 1909.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Aug. 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_shirtwaist_strike_of_1909.

“The Laws That Did the Most for Gender Equality in the Workplace.” The Spiggle Law Firm, The Spiggle Law Firm, 28 June 2019, https://www.spigglelaw.com/employment-blog/the-laws-that-did-the-most-for-gender-equality-in-the-workplace/.

“Women in Business: The Complete History.” All Business Schools, All Business Schools, https://www.allbusinessschools.com/business-administration/women-in-business/.