Kate Hammack 3/22/23
The importance of women taking on more leadership roles in the workplace.

Women's Education
Throughout our history, women have not been able to get a proper education. Only in the 19th century were women allowed to go to school, especially college (women born into wealthy families got a better education than most). But to this day, there has been one country where women are not allowed to go to secondary school, that is Afghanistan and only 49% of countries worldwide have gender parity in primary schools.
Worldwide, nearly 130 women are out of school and women are 2.5 times more likely to drop out of school than men. There are many reasons for this, sexual harassment, teen pregnancy, child marriage, etc. Gender bias in the classroom also affects women's education as well, especially in science based courses. Women are encouraged to become mothers, teachers, or caretakers.
Discrimination in the Workplace
Only 7.4% of leadership roles in companies are women. This is caused by the obstacles women face in the workplace to advance their careers. Since men have been in positions of power for so long, leadership positions are seen as masculine. This discourages women from advancing in their careers, and men feel threatened by female bosses. Even if women have an opportunity to become a boss or any leadership position, they are told they only got their position from “sleeping their way up”, insinuating all women do is use their bodies to advance in the workplace, even when women work hard to be heard and get the position they deserve.
Women aren't taken seriously in their work environment, they're seen as soft and “too emotional”. Periods are one of these causes for women being seen as “too emotional”, when women express their feelings they are shut down because “it's probably their time of the month”. This contributes to the discrimination women face with their periods. This makes a hostile work environment for women, another form is the sexual harassment women face.
35% of women in full time corporate jobs have experienced a form of sexual harassment and 99% of these cases go unreported mainly since women are threantened by their attackers. These are just some of the obstacles that cause the lack of women in power and leadership positions in companies and in politics.
Why is this Important?
More women in the workplace is extremely important to the younger generation. Women in power can influence young girls and be seen as role models, making young girls want to pursue leadership positions. This attracts a more diverse workplace, with different ideas and perspectives that can be presented. Diverse workplaces help fuel growth and create more sustainability within an organization, which also creates a safer and more comfortable environment for women.
Gender Pay Gap
Equal pay, both men and women in the same workplace are to be given equal pay for equal work. Pay equality is important for women who are paid less than male coworkers who have the same job status because lower earnings make it harder for women to be able to take care of their families, or just themselves. Even in 2022, women earn .82$ for every 1$ a man earns, that is women earn only 82% of what men earn.
This is a complex issue that needs to be addressed and solved in our society. Equal pay is important because it can increase productivity, efficiency, and creativity in a workplace. With a pay gap, women are discouraged from advancing in their careers and even discouraged from working all together.
Our Take
This is Divarity's opinion piece on this issue of women leadership positions. Personally, we believe that women should be offered the same opportunities as men and should have the same job and political advancement as men. Young girls dont want to grow up in a society where we are seen as inferiors in the workplace. This is why we write and talk about the problems women face when it comes to working and advancing in careers. We want to spread that it's important to speak out against discrimination.
We need to diminish these societal norms that make it difficult for women to advance in the workplace to create safer environments where women feel comfortable sharing their ideas and views. These norms have been around for centuries, to improve our society and help young girls for the future we must encourage women to take on the jobs they desire and work hard to advance in their careers.
Sources:
Jennifer Openshaw Chair of Girls with Impact, Openshaw, J., Impact, C. of G. with, Forum, O. W., Spector, E., Partner at Harrity & Harrity, Basiouny, A., Writer and Editor at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Swift, M., & US Transformation Leader at Mercer. (2020, January 6). 9 things women will face in the workplace this year. BRINK. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.brinknews.com/10-things-women-will-face-in-the-workplace-this-year/
Decker Design. (2023, March 1). Why aren't more women in leadership positions? Decker Design. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://deckerdesign.com/2018/07/arent-women-leadership-positions/
Ignatius, A., & Harvard Business Review. (2019, August 23). Women rising: The unseen barriers. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2013/09/women-rising-the-unseen-barriers
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