argue that gender discrimination is not only in daily life, but also in business life because there are lots of successful women but they cannot take what they deserve. In whole world, according to law, women and men have same right. However, unfortunately, in some areas, especially in business life, there is gender discrimination. Although there are lots of successful women in business life, People cannot expect that women are successful in workplace where gender discrimination exist. Gender discrimination violets human right and it is not legal. However, most of people especially women are exposed to gender discrimination. Gender discrimination can be seen throughout the wage gap, restricted career opportunity, sexual harassment and idea about role of women. Wage gap which exists within women and men is the most crucial issue of gender discrimination in workplace.
For most people money is one of the most important thing to survive. Thus, inequity in wages against not only human rights but also women rights. Although sometimes women earned even a little more than a man, in generally, women earn less than men. Employers have lots of valid reasons that women have less wage than men. One of the most significant reason is that women have a role in society such as motherhood and being a wife. A woman plays most significant role in a family. Thus, women who are married and have children makes them unstable in business life. As a result of that they are low earners and employers have less expectations. Because, they think that women have less gain for a company. On the other hand, the opposite is true for men. If a man is married and has children they earn much more money. Because, its believed that a male employee who is married and has children, has regular life and it expected high performance at work. In addition to these, they should earn more money to take care of their family. This situation can be seen in the statistics: “In 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was passed, full-time working women were paid 59 cents on average for every dollar paid to men. In 2007, women's median annual paychecks reflected only 78 cents for every $1.00 earned by men.”( Women Deserve Equal Pay, 1) These statistics demonstrate that women earn less than man and there is an injustice wage gap within women and men. Unfortunately, this situation does not change in 44 years and wage gap just close 19 cent. Another important reason is that people especially employers argued that for the most jobs, masculinity has more prestige than feminity. “Social psychologists have demonstrated repeatedly that occupations associated with women or requiring stereotypically feminine skills are rated as less prestigious and deserving of less pay than occupations
associated with men and masculine skills.”( The Gender Wage Gap: Debunking the Rationalizations , 1) Because of these reasons it is obviously seen that there is a wage gap between women and men. Thus, employees especially women are discriminated and their rights are violated.
Sexual harassment is one of the important evidence of gender discrimination. “The law makes it clear that sexual harassment is definitely not acceptable. Whilst there is no strict definition as to what constitutes sexual harassment, the Sex Discrimination Act gives you the legal right not to be sexually harassed at work and it is also unlawful to treat women (or men) less favorably because of their sex. Sexual harassment constitutes any unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature. It's not about fun or friendship but about the abuse of power.” (Sexual Harassment at Work, 1) This indicate that sexual harassment is a crime and it is not a legal thing. Especially in workplace, generally women are exposed sexual harassment, also men can be exposed sexual harassment but it has low possibility to be exposed rather than women. There are three types of sexual harassment which are “Verbal” like questions or comments about your sex life and request for sexual favors, “Non-Verbal” like looking or staring at a person’s body, “Physical” like sexual assault and rape.( Sexual Harassment at Work, 1) Unfortunately, there are lots of people especially women who are exposed sexual harassment by a supervisor, an employee senior to them, a coworker at their level or a junior employee. Although not only for women but also for men, sexual harassment violets the human rights, women have more experiences about that issue, so, sexual harassment identify with women. “The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) describes sexual harassment as a form of gender discrimination that is in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.” (Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, 1) This quotation indicates that sexual harassment is a type of gender discrimination and it directly violets the women rights. Therefore, sexual harassment is not legal and it directly violets the rights of woman who are faced with sexual harassment. Because women who are faced with sexual harassment may affect their life not only psychologically but also physically. As a result, not only in workplace but also in daily life, sexual harassment affects negatively people, especially women. All types of sexual harassment is not acceptable and it is not legal thing. People should be sensitive about that issue and they should do something to ignore the sexual harassment from not only workplaces but also daily life.
Another the most significant obstacle is restricted career opportunities of women. There is legal requirements about that issue. While employers decide to hiring, firing and promoting, they should be objective and justice. They should do their selection according to the what the employee will have to do and what skills they will need. Unfortunately, most of employers or managers who take the decision about job selection, do gender discrimination against women. Some companies having a policy of not employee married women. They believe that married women are not eligible for some positions. Also they think that women must have flexible working time even they are less paid while men are not. Fewer married women are flexible to travel because they have family and children to take care of. Just because of this employers do not accept women employees. This shows that there is sex discrimination at workplace. “%60 of women are faced with the question about their marital status and plans of having children on the other hand %26.6 of men are faced with this question.” (Gender Discrimination at Work, 5) This example indicates that in workplace women’s opportunities are restricted and they are faced with discrimination. To illustrate, not only employers but also people argued that women can not be a taxi driver. This opinion become a taboo however, it is inaccurate and illogical. Because, there can be seen some of the examples of this issue and these women are successful in their position. Moreover its believed that women can not be a soldier. However, most of countries select women for Armed Forces. For instance, in Israel not only men but also women have to go army. The most significant reason of gender discrimination which women faced during hiring, firing and promoting is that employers have attitude towards women. As a result of these reasons women can not promote in their careers. To attract attention, in past years most of companies did not have managers who was woman. Present there are women at the top management level. Bias against women at workplace and business life directly victimize women and this situation violates women rights.
In addition to the reasons of gender discrimination at workplace, women’s nature and role in society is different from men. Throughout the history women take place a significant role on family life. Most people believed that women just have specific roles in society which are motherhood, taking care of children and their husband. Thus, most of employers believe this and while they take decisions about job they take into consideration these beliefs. These beliefs are obstacle for women’s success at workplace and against their rights. Women and men have different missions and they have significant differences. For instance while the role of men is bread winner, women are homemaker and care taker. In addition to their significant differences, they have different attitudes for instance reactions, feelings and opinions. Women are too naturally weak compared to men and because of women’s creature they are extremely emotional and tender. While women are physically weak on the other hand men are strong and they have intellectual ability. Women can not do hard works and handle stress. In business life the common point of view is they are too emotional to handle stress and responsibility and also too indecisive to take decision. “They are expressive in their emotion and these expressions are sometimes a weakness in this rational world. “ (Gender Discrimination at Work, 8) Thus, the common view is that they are not as good as man as a leader. There must not be such a discrimination based on gender. People should believe effectiveness and efficiency of employee. It's as unfair to expect woman to stay home and only to serve as wives and mothers. Also Rosalyn S. Yalow also emphasizes “The failure of women to have reached positions of leadership has been due in large part to social and professional discrimination.” (Gender Discrimination at Work, 15) They can also successful as men in business life and become a successful leader. As a result of that while violating the human rights is not acceptable. In workplace employees are faced with injustice beliefs and attitudes, especially women are faced with this situation because of their nature and role in society. Thus, in workplace there are gender discrimination and this is absolutely violates the human especially women rights.
To sum up, inequity in wages, sexual harassment, restricted career opportunities and women nature are some of the main reasons which women are faced with at workplace and violate their rights. There is an obvious inequity between women and men workers. Because of inequity the success of women is difficult than men. Employees who work in the same position must get the same wage as each other. Employers and society should not think they deserve less than men. Sexual harassment is another important issue that not only women face in daily life but also in their business life. Women are exposed to sexual harassment. As a result of that this situation affects women’s psychologically and their private life negatively. In addition restricted career opportunities is another fact that women face with at workplace. While employers do their hiring, firing and promoting decision they do not take justice and objective decisions towards women. They believe that married women and working mothers are not the long term employees of a company and they have limited gains to company. Another significant reason why women faced with discrimination is women’s nature. They are different characteristics than men. This occurs that they can perform different business. However, this does not mean that women are less successful than man. People should ignore this bias and give importance to the effectiveness and efficiency of an employee. People should be sensitive about gender discrimination against women at work. Because it is a controversial issue that most women faced with. All of the reasons which violates any human rights mentioned above should be ignored.