Gender Inequality

in Canada & the

World

Contemporary Social Issues

By Tonya DJ

What is Gender Inequality?

“Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals

based on their gender. It arises from differences in socially

constructed gender roles as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain

structure, and hormonal differences. Gender inequality stems from distinctions, whether empirically grounded or socially

constructed. ” (Wikipedia, 2014).

Sociological Theory

The feminist perspective says there should be autonomy and rights for all citizens as everyone has value (the same as race, anti-war, etc..) and triumph over discrimination (Mooney et al, 2013). They recognize that woman are naturally more expressive and nurturing then men, and men are naturally more task orientated, but women should be treated the same as men, and this is a social issue, not a biological issue (Mooney et

all, 2013).

“It tries to understand the nature of gender inequality, and examines women's social roles, experiences, and interests. While generally providing a critique of social relations, much of feminist theory also focuses on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion

of women's interests.” (Boundless Sociology, 2014).

It’s having social equality, in opposition to sexism and patriarchy (where males hold primary power). Basically, girls and women should be treated equally as all members of society. Girls and women of all ages have value and discrimination

should be overcome, the same as race, etc..

Gender inequality is still a huge issue today, where

males are considered superior to females (Mooney

et al 2013).

Women had to fight to vote, for equal pay, and to have

male dominant jobs, but still have lower incomes, fewer

prestigious jobs, usually female orientated college

degrees, and are more likely to live in poverty than men

(Mooney et al, 2013).

Inequality in the Home

According to the article “Cooking up Housewives”, in today’s society, the media has taken over labeling behaviors; the media

didn’t invent them, but are still reinforcing them.

Even though the photograph on the right is a vintage advertisement, the gender roles shown still carry on today. Most

ads usually show women cooking or cleaning the house or bathrooms, etc.

The article continues to say that the way women are portrayed in the media have now become the norms, “culturally defined rules

of conduct, of our society”.

We can also mention the “second shift” where women work all day, usually with less pay than their fellow male co-worker and are expected to do everything at home. Still clean the house,

make the meals, do all the laundry, etc.

Domestic abuse is another issue in the home, many women flee their homes due to this and end up living in poverty, another

consequence of inequality (Mooney et al, 2013).

Inequality in the Workplace

According to the “Gender Wage

Gap” (2014), women make .74

cents to the dollar for every man.

0 0.5 1

MEN

WOMEN

Why is there Gender Inequality in the

Workplace?

TAKING CARE OF FAMILY: Wage inequality in Canada is due to women losing seniority and missing out on wage increases from maternity leave, or working less hours taking care of their families (Gender Wage Gap, 2014).

STEREOTYPES: More women are hired in the healthcare field (nurses) as they are considered more nurturing then men, or working in childcare, office work (Mooney et all 2013). There is also less unionization, so less protection (Gender Wage Gap, 2014).

EDUCATION: In the past women had lower levels of education so were unable to get better jobs, this is changing and more women now are getting post-secondary education (Gender Wage Gap, 2014).

GLASS CEILING: The invisible barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising upwards on the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements (Mooney et al, 2013).

SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Many women are sexually harassed and belittled at work, and some too afraid to come forward in case it jeopardizes their job.

DISCRIMINATION: Some girls/women are only hired if they look a certain way.

Inequality in School

Schools are another place gender inequality is evident, from the books students

read, the curriculum and how teachers may interact with students (Mooney et

al, 2013).

This differs from country to country. In some countries girls have no rights are

not allowed to go to school. Others have to work or are married young, or live

in a rural community where they are unable to get to a school. Poverty usually

playing a huge part in most areas not enabling these girls to get an education.

A friend of mine runs a volunteer outreach program to help students (especially

girls) get the education they need in Honduras. Volunteers come and teach

these kids, and the children are provided a hot meal, for most the only meal

they will get that day. Some of these little girls will walk up to 2 hours back and

forth every day in the dangerous jungle to get an education and a meal! It’s

pretty amazing work they do for these kids, giving them a future they wouldn’t

be able to get otherwise. They also help with healthcare too.

Many churches and organizations also build schools in many countries and

offer education to impoverished children and women.

GENDER INEQUALITY CAUSES

POVERTY

Women are more likely to be living in poverty than men, and can be due to a lack of education, due to single moms that didn’t finish

school,(Mooney et al, 2013).

Lower pay and gender inequality in comparison to men can also be linked to poverty amongst women (Mooney et al, 2013).

The elderly, especially divorced or senior single women are at the highest risk for poverty according to the article “Senior’s living in

poverty on the rise in Canada”; due to lower wages, more part-time work and career gaps when they were younger, so they simply

couldn’t save enough money.

Solutions to the problem would be adjusting the Canada Pension Plan, and Old Age Security however the Federal government is not helping

enough with that yet (the Canadian Press, 2013).

NEGATIVE VIEWS OF WOMEN VIA

INTERNET

“women cannot be trusted”“women shouldn’t vote”“women should stay in the kitchen.”

A division of the United Nations that deals with gender equality has revealed a new campaign that used Google's search bar to show shocking negative attitudes toward women.

The campaign shows 4 pictures of women with the search results blocking their mouths, giving a powerful statement about gender inequality.

They found searches were made for “women should”," "women shouldn't," "women cannot" and "women need to." The eye-opening results include "women shouldn't have rights" and "women need to be put in their place.“ (Taylor, V., 2013).

GENDER INEQUALITY IN MOVIESGirls have less roles in Television

than boys.

Starting from a young age girls

may feel less valuable and

insecure due to this.

Women are usually also

portrayed a certain way, with an

idealized physique, giving girls

insecurity at a very young age.

A Psychology Today survey

showed of 3,452 women

surveyed, 23% said that movie or

television celebrities influenced

their body image when they were

young, and 22% were influenced

by fashion magazine models.

GENDER

INEQUALITY CAUSES

POOR SELF IMAGE &

VICTIMIZATION

Girls and women are belittled and de-valued every day. Girls are victims of

being forced into the sex trade, as well as being victimized by photographers and

even friends on social media.

Women are not taken seriously, and this has a lot to do with how our social world

and media portrays women (we see this on magazine covers and especially with the sex trade, prostitution, girls turning to strip clubs for income (or being forced

into it), pornography and how destructive this is to women (and men distorting their

views on women).

Media’s Portrayal of how girls and women should look in our culture

poses many dangers.

It can cause Mental Health Issues and Eating Disorders.

Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign for girls is a great example of loving

yourself for who you are. Other companies are following suit as well.

More needs to be done in this department with the media, ensuring

our children see all girls as beautiful, mind and body and spirit.

We can see here how girls should be valued, and at a young age

should be taught there are no reasons for girls to feel like they are

inferior or have to try to be someone else or fit a certain standard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JwK0AioGwQ

Please take a minute to watch the video below about Gendercide, what some call, “The Modern Day Holocaust” :

http://www.vimeo.com/50260404

Did you know

Canada has ZERO

pre-born human

rights?

Gendercide is happening in our own country.

Many parents choose to abort their babies if female in Canada.

Canada (along with China and North Korea) are the only countries that have

zero pre-born human rights, and it is legal to abort up till 9 months (weneedalaw.ca).

Solutions to Gendercide would be Up to

Date Laws like other countries for

equality.

Although women’s rights are improving

in other areas, there are no women’s

rights in the womb in Canada .

Much awareness and education needs to

be done on this subject, especially in

schools. If our country currently has no

laws or much awareness about

gendercide abortions, will we eventually

turn out to be like India or China?

Aboriginal Women - InequalityThis year we saw an online campaign for Aboriginal women on Twitter

and Facebook directed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Aboriginal women posted pictures of themselves with a sign saying “Am I Next?”

This was to raise awareness to the almost 1200 missing and murdered Aboriginal girls over Canada.

According to “No More Stolen Sisters: Justice for the missing and murdered Indigenous women of Canada”, “Indigenous women are

going missing and being murdered at a much higher rate than other women in Canada—a rate so high it constitutes nothing less than a

national human rights crisis.”

GENDER INEQUALITY AROUND THE WORLDMillions of women around the world are victims of violence, discrimination and abuse. Genital mutilation is a shocking type of violence against women

practiced in different cultures (Mooney et al, 2013).

Religious abuse and inequality is seen in Taliban & Afghan communities where women must be covered, are beaten, and are stripped of all rights (Feminist

Majority Foundation, 2014).

Some countries force little girls into marriage, some die, are not able to go to school, and have premature babies and other health issues (Hedeyat, n.

2011).

In Mauritiana, West Africa, young girls are force fed by their parents and given growth hormones to make them more “marriable”, which is not only shocking,

it poses major health risks to these girls (Batha, e. 2014).

In the Youtube video “Female genital cutting”, a village in Africa is circumcising girls as early as age 2, this violates human rights, not to mention risk of

infection, hemorrhage or even death.

Lack of education for girls is another example of inequality, every girl and woman has a right to read and write and be an active member of society.

Gendercide is rampant in other countries, most notably India & China where women are forced to abort their babies if female. In India for example, babies are

slaughtered after birth as well, tossed in the garbage, or in a field, burned, suffocated, choked to death, it’s being called by some, “the modern day holocaust”.

“Why Gender Equality Matters” (Division of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

Limited Access to Resources

Women are responsible for 60-80% of food production, but have limited

access to resources such as land, credit and new technologies.

Lack of Education

Education and poverty reduction go hand in hand. Progress is being

made, but there are still less girls in school or finishing school. This also

has to do with living in rural areas.

Access to Healthcare

Many women die in childbirth in the developing world and is usually

completely avoidable if proper healthcare was available. HIV/AIDS can

also be diminished with education and reduction of child marriages and

women slaves.

In the Workplace

Still more men than women in paid employment, business and politics.

Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours and earn only 10%

of the world’s income.

Gender Based Violence

Gender-based violence is one of the most socially tolerated abuses of

human rights worldwide. It is a contributor to poverty and ill-health and

prevents many women, from reaching their potential.

GENDER INEQUALITY

AROUND THE WORLD

Much has to be done with our society and media and the injustice of gender inequality. Girls and women struggling

for equal pay, positions, title, respect, and still fighting certain communities for the rights over their own bodies.

Solutions would be fostering healthy attitudes and ending discrimination for a better social view on

women.

Teaching our children at a young age to value girls and women and treat them with respect.

Abuse in any form for being female is not acceptable and against the moral code and law.

Education – Literacy. Every girl and woman has a right to read and write and be an active member of society.

Equal Pay - Women can do most work equally the same, if not better (depending on the job) as men, so wages

should reflect the job and performance, not if you are male or female.

Basic Healthcare, especially in under developed countries.

Talking about it, ending stereotypes and discrimination that will benefit our children now, and for a better future.

Sponsor a child in another country to ensure they get education, food and a place to live.

Education in the workplace about sexual harassment so women know they can come forward to report safely.

Volunteers! People willing to give their time to help those in need, especially building schools and teaching abroad.

According to Mooney et al (2013) solutions are fostering literacy, leadership skills, social development, better

healthcare, and giving women rights to make decisions.

CONCLUSION & SOLUTIONS

Abuse Photo. [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2014/02/does-quran-say-men-can-beat-their-wives.html

Batha, E. (2014, January 18). Mauritania must ban deadly force feeding of child brides

– activists. Retrieved from http://www.trust.org/item/20140117185616-fl4hq/?source=dpMostPopular

BOUNDLESS. (2014, JULY 3). THE FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE. BOUNDLESS SOCIOLOGY. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-

textbook/gender-stratification-and-inequality-11/the-theoretical-perspectives-on-gender-stratification-87/the-feminist-perspective-506-10213/

Canadian Women’s Foundation. [Image]. The Facts about Women and Poverty. Retrieved from http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-poverty

Cooking up Housewives. (2012, May 5). Retrieved from http://introsociology.net/kyliec/2012/05/

Dove Campaign. [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.ladyandtheblog.com/2009/10/23/doves-campaign-for-real-beauty-continues-to-benefit-our-daughters/

Exploring Social Inequality (n.d.). [Image]. Retrieved from http://artandauthorproject.weebly.com/biographies.html

Feminist Majority Foundation (2014). Campaign for Afghan Women & GirlsRetrieved from http://www.feminist.org/afghan/taliban_women.asp

Gender and Occupational Inequality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://inequalityprojects.wikispaces.com/Gender+and+Occupational+Inequality

Glass Ceiling. [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.blurrent.com/article/14-insanely-insane-reasons-the-president-is-the-glass-ceiling-

Hedeyat, H. (2011, October 3). What is it Like to Be a Child Bride? Retrieved from

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15082550

Inequality Pictures. [Images] Retrieved from http://olusolaakinseyestudio.blogspot.ca/2012/07/recent-work-gender-equality-women.html

REFERENCES

Man and woman holding money bags picture. [Image]. Retrieved from https://inequalityprojects.wikispaces.com/gender+and+occupational+inequality

Mooney et all (2013). Understanding Social Problems. Chapter 7: Gender Equality.

Pg.176, 177, 178, 189, 196, Chapter 10: Poverty: National and International Issues. Pg 266,272

NO MORE STOLEN SISTERS: JUSTICE FOR THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF CANADA. [IMAGES]. Retrieved from

http://www.amnesty.ca/our-work/issues/indigenous-peoples/no-more-stolen-sisters

pictochart. [image] http://tsuiangelaaaaa.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/infographic-on-the-topic-gender-inequality-3/

Pay Equity Commission. (April 2014). The Gender Age Gap, para 1. Retrieved from

http://www.payequity.gov.on.ca/en/about/pubs/genderwage/wagegap.php

Racial and Gender Inequality in Entertainment. (2014, October 26). [Image]. Retrieved from http://tokyopop.com/gender-and-racial-inequality-in-entertainment/

Taylor, V. (2013, October 23). POWERFUL UN AD CAMPAIGN USES GOOGLE SEARCHES TO SHOW GENDER INEQUALITY. Retrieved from

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/campaign-google-searches-show-sexism-article-1.1494436

The Canadian Press. (2013, November 26). Seniors living in poverty on the rise in Canada,

OECD says. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/seniors-living-in-poverty-on-the-rise-in-canada-oecd-says-1.2440714

Vandenburg, S. (2012, April 2). [image]. Retrieved from https://www.volunteerglobal.com/blogs/sarah-vandenberg/travel-buddy-profile-all-access-volunteers

Walker, C. (2014, Sept.5). Indigenous women ask 'am i next?' to raise awareness about missing and murdered. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/indigenous-women-

ask-am-i-next-to-raise-awareness-about-missing-and-murdered-1.2757295

Why Gender Equality Matters. (n.d.). Division of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved from https://www.irishaid.ie/what-we-do/our-priority-areas/gender-equality/gender-overview/

Wikipedia. (2014). Gender Inequality. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gender_inequality