Gender Inequality And The Wage Gap Amongst Executives

13 Pages 3230 Words

Running head: GENDER INEQUALITY AND THE WAGE GAP AMONGST EXECUTIVES

Gender Inequality and the Wage Gap Amongst Executives
Jennifer Banks
University of Wyoming

Abstract
Male dominance is defined as fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of society. This false ideology creates gender inequality and a wage gap. A social policy, the Fair Pay Act of 200, was passed in order to combat these problems. The social constructions that surround the act and hinder its effectiveness are patriarchy, hegemonic masculinity, and the conservative nature of social institutions. The Fair Pay Act was intended to branch as far as college and university campuses, yet parity has not been reached among female and male presidents. Corporate culture and archetypal symbols of leadership also obstruct the Fair Pay Act. However, if the Fair Pay Act eventually succeeds, women can be change agents, and change corporate culture without imposing a hierarchy. The Fair Pay Act has not failed, but rather lacks the power to attack social constructions, which are at the core of gender inequality and the wage gap.










Often the terms sex and gender are used interchangeably in conversation. Yet there is a huge distinction between the two. Sex is biological, while gender is sociological. This essentially means that gender is a social creation, and a biased as well. Gender refers to masculinity and femininity, and one could say that masculinity and femininity are societal euphemisms for male dominance and female subordination. However, hegemonic masculinity and subordinate femininity are not conspiracies. Rather, they are the result of widely accepted ways of thinking that define male dominance as fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of society. This false ideology creates many social problems, one of which is gender inequality. And in the realm of economics, a wage gap is created. Expanding further into this social proble...