In America, equality among all is part of the unwritten constitution. You may say all men are created equal under the constitution, but this only says men. Are women men under the constitution?Even though the constitution has been “revised”, it still does not say that all people are equal, men and women. “Equality is, for Americans, one of their most cherished values … They say all people have been“created equal”(Kohls). I disagree with Robert Kohls: There will always be that one person, or in our case a group of people who are treated unequally, due to their gender. In our country, this group of people are females in the work place. Equality for females in the work place of America today is still questioned because of its absence. This can be shown clearly through collected data,government expression,governmental participation in foreign countries, and my thoughts.

Data taken over several years has consistently shown that gender segregation in occupations benefit one gender more so than the other. Females are the ones who are usually segregated in the workplace, while men rarely are. To prove this, in societies with less occupational gender segregation, females have higher salaries than males. “When occupational sex segregation is lower, women are employed in occupations generally considered to be higher status and higher paying” (1529-1560,Moller, Stephanie; Li, Huiping). Although, in societies with more occupational gender segregation, men tend to have higher salaries than women do. Median pay of both males and females has been kept on Internet record for all to see. Last year, the median pay for a female in a higher occupational position was way lower than a male with the same occupation, and position. “In 2010, the median weekly earnings for women in full-time management, professional, and related occupations was $923, compared to $1,256 for men”(1,Catalyst). I am curious as to who decides to pay the female less and why? What can't a female do that a man can? I believe the reason for some women having a salary higher than men's deals with women being able to focus on more than one task at a time, and complete more than men who focus on only one specific task at a time. “The male brain is highly specialized, using specific parts of one hemisphere or the other to accomplish specific tasks. The female brain is more diffused and utilizes significant portions of both hemispheres for a variety of tasks” (1,Kastleman). Hence, the ability for women to view the larger picture of multiple tasks, and men viewing the smaller details of one task.


The expression of our government also plays a role in the segregation of women in the work place. More precisely governmental parties; and the representation of females in the government. “In the United States, the Republican Party generally takes a minimalist approach to social policy development; and this party often emphasizes family values along with the sanctity of the market, as opposed to policies supportive of gender equity” (Brady 2003b; McVeigh and Sobolewski 2007).The republican party tends to steer their influence to a whole, rather than an individual, or particular gender, favoring neither females, or males. Female representation in American Legislation is a relatively small percent to men. “"For instance, in 2004 the United States had only 14 percent of its elected legislative positions held by women” (3,Gaddis). This is considerably lower compared to the representation by males in our government. Another way to show this is comparing the American female representation in government to the participation of women in foreign governments. “The United Kingdom had a slightly higher percentage of women in office with 18 percent. Mexico, however, had 23 percent, while Sweden boasts the highest of the group, with 45 percent of its elected legislative offices held by women" (3,Gaddis).So, is America really representing all of its citizens in governmental affairs?
There are some people who do not want these numbers in America. The reason for this is some people think women only do as they please, to benefit themselves, not thinking of benefiting others. This is truly wrong. This is wrong because women do think of others before themselves. When a female is pregnant, who is the one that makes sure the baby goes to sleep with a bedtime story, or song; even though the baby is in the womb? It is the mother. Having a child is the biggest responsibility God can give anyone. Because of this, women also deserve the responsibility to be equally represented in government. Once again, what can’t a women do that a man can?


There are not too many ways to change the segregation of females in the workplace, and make the workplace void of segregation; except by making laws against it. Because there are already laws for this segregation, more would have to be placed, ensuring the consistent equality of females in the workplace. An alternative to laws could be the creation of a non-profit agency that checks a specific persons pay when an investigation is needed, and compares it to others who have the same job, in the same company.

In conclusion, America can be defined as not equal to all of its citizens because of the constant segregation of gender in the work place proven through data, expression of the United States government,and the comparison of foreign governmental representation,to American. Because of this invalidity, it shows that America is exempt from some of its best boasting traits. Fortunately enough there are legal documents protecting women from segregation in the workplace. Because there are documents for the protection of women in terms of occupational salary, equality among all in America is void. This is because of the need for these laws in the first place.









Citation Page

Gaddis, Roger. "Gender Equality in the United States The Impossible Dream?"

Yahoo. Yahoo, 14 Aug. 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2011.

<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/344937/

gender_equality_in_the_united_states.html?cat=7>.

Gaddis, Roger. "Gender Equality in the United States The Impossible Dream?"

Yahoo. Yahoo, 14 Aug. 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2011.

<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/344937/

gender_equality_in_the_united_states.html?cat=7>.


"Gender Inequality Index (GII)." Human Development Reports. Human Development

Reports, 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

gii/>.


Kastleman, Mark. "The Difference Between the Male and Female Brain ."

netnanny. N.p., 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.netnanny.com/

learn_center/article/165>.

Moller, Stephanie; Li, Huiping. "Parties, Unions, Policies and Occupational Sex

Segregation in the United States." Proquest. N.p., Mar. 2009. Web. 11 Nov.

2011. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/229915675/132FB6A89156E346D3E/

4?accountid=34664>.

"Women's Earnings and Income." Catalyst. Catalyst, 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
#<http://www.catalyst.org/publication/217/womens-earnings-and-i#ncome>.