In 1966, women were barely able to enter the work force, and if they were lucky enough to have a job they were secretaries, teachers, or nurses. It was unthinkable for a woman to try and become a police officer or firefighter because they were jobs for men, the thought being that men are innately stronger, smarter and more capable.
By 1976, these jobs were now possible for women, though still rare, thanks to the work of NOW. NOW strived for gender equality. They wanted the world to see that there is no innate difference between men and women, and they succeeded in many ways.
And yet, 40 years later the job force is still not equal. Setting aside the issue of wages, in which white women make 77 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts, several jobs are still highly underrepresented in the female community. While women have supposedly gained the right to enter any job, their entry into the work force is moving at a snails pace and we will not have true gender equality until all jobs are 50/50. In the United States, roughly 80 percent of engineers are men, 95% of pilots are men, and 100% of U.S. Presidents have been men.
The movement for equality in the workforce is once again receiving visibility due to Hillary Clinton’s major party nomination. She is said to be breaking the highest glass ceiling in the world. This visibility needs to be used to rejuvenate the cause and once again strive for equality by showing the world that women can, and should be let to, do anything.
Posted by Holly Sefton at 10:16 AM
Sunday, October 2, 2016