Narrowing the Gap: Noting the Demographic Complexities of Gender Pay Inequality
November 14, 2023
By Emma Grace Myers
Women have faced gender and pay inequality throughout history. In the 1860’s the cry of
“Equal Pay for Equal Work” echoed in rallies. Even now, some 160 years later the issue remains
significant for women, and women are still calling for equal pay for equal work. However, while
the gender pay gap impacts women across all demographics, many different factors drive wage
differences, and these various challenges require focused measures to close the gap.
According to the Center for American Progress, women of color face a larger pay gap
than their white counterparts. These gaps can be attributed to race segregation within various
occupations, especially lower service sectors, such as cashiers and care workers. Women of color
often are the primary demographic of workers within these fields, leaving them trapped in
positions with little to no upward mobility and economic security. A study from the Pew
Research study from earlier this year "The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap” found that in
2022 Black women earned 70% as much as White men and Hispanic women earned only 65% as
much.
Motherhood also deeply impacts how much money women are making within their
occupations. Many working mothers, regardless of race, are the primary or sole providers for
their families, but they make even less than women in general. The intersection of motherhood
and race is also important to note, as mothers of color also earn significantly less than white
fathers.
Motherhood and race are two of the most common wage gap demographic disparities
faced by women in the United States today. To close these gaps, legislative actions must target
these demographic groups with focused approaches. To help women of color, our legislative and
executive branches must focus on tackling the racial wage disparities, specifically focusing on
federal data collection to scrutinize hiring and promotion alongside pay disparities in various
fields. By involving the federal government in pushing for more pay transparency and employer
accountability, there is less likelihood of discrimination based on demographic factors. To help
decrease the pay gap for mothers, policy experts must emphasize better maternity pay and longer
maternity leave and they must work to strengthen the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
Many different factors account for the gender pay gap today, but it is clear that both
women of color and mothers are greatly impacted. At its core, women deserve and need
lawmakers and employers to take the necessary steps to protect their livelihoods and their
children’s futures.
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