Women have been fighting persistently for gender equality since 1840 and what many people may not know or refuse to acknowledge, is that the battle continues.  Over a century ago, Susan B. Anthony started a long-term fight for gender equality along with the start of the women suffrage movement. After an agonizing battle and the perseverance of activist Alice Paul, women finally received their right to vote in 1920. But even though women have had their victories, it seems our society today, still put gender equality on the back burner; out of sight and mind.

You would think, that after all this time, women and men would have the same rights and opportunities.

The United States Census Bureau, found that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. Researches also discovered that in one year the average income for a women is 37,791 dollars while men earn 40,398 dollars. This doesn’t even take into account the different races and ethnic groups. African American women earn 69 cents for every dollar earned by a man. A Latina makes 57 cents for every dollar a Latino makes.

According to The Huffington Post, “Women’s careers are also more likely to be interrupted when they have kids, which can derail their job trajectory and earnings growth. But even when you control for things like education, career and number of hours worked, women still earn about 5 percent less than their male colleagues, according to a 2011 analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.” 

Someone who wants to disagree and argue how women take up most of the jobs that pay less than 10 dollars an hour, would also need to know that when men and women are positioned the same exact occupation, women are still paid less. The American Association of University Women did a study where they recognized all factors that could potentially affect a salary: the job, time spent working, major chose in college, proportions of employment and other possible effects. Through all of these factors though, they still found women were paid less.

This means that there isn’t any specific reason that causes the pay gap other than the actual discrimination that women are paid less than men.

If you couldn’t tell already, my opinion has been strongly established. Obviously, our society today hasn’t achieved gender equality. The unfortunate part is that this is not the only aspect of life where there is gender inequality. Women are still looked down upon in various ways including traditional stereotypes.Hopefully, gender quality will become a reality.

Photo courtesy: University of Oregon