For many years, gender discrimination, especially against women, has been a menace in the job market. Women have been the major casualties of this vice largely due to norms and culture that promote the old-fashioned perception of women inferiority in comparison to their male counterparts that has not only affected their delivery of duties but also the ranks they hold. However, its high time that we stand up to address this and bring it to an eventual end through a series of solutions.
The author argues out that there are three main forms of discrimination that women have suffered in the workplaces. These are overt discrimination where gender is used as a criterion for employment leading refusal to higher and denial of equitable pay. Research shows that women are more concentrated in lower earning industries and are underrepresented in executive positions with power and decision making and influence which is male-dominated. (Cain, 1986 & Blau, 1986) Only an average of 5% of women occupy the executive positions compared to men’s almost 90%.
Women also suffer sexual harassment which is either quid pro that is majorly done by their male supervisors and managers due to the immense power wielded over the women hence use bribery or threats to gain their compliance. There is also use of hostile environment where the where offensive and hostile work environment is used to intimidate the women to give in (Gelfand et.al 1995). the third type discrimination is glass ceiling where women are denied access to power and status(FGCC. 1997). More women thus resort to female-dominated careers such nursing, secretaries and flight attendants and enormously earn lower compared to male counterparts. (Glinow, 1990)
However, there is need to look at women executives as a tool to prevent the same. women who wield powerful administrative and policy-making positions are more responsive to such issues. Women employed as supervisors and managers are better experienced to handle such issues. Statistics show that 90% of the cases in court involve men assaulting women sexually compared to the inverse.(EOCC, 1995, Keyton 1996) There is more willingness to report such cases compared to men employed in such positions as males and females interpret sexual harassment differently.
To overcome this habit there is need to increase more women in powerful and executive positions to be able to address the issues of sex discriminations effectively. Equality should also be observed in appointments to positions wielding power and policy making. Policies need to be not only created but fully be implemented to ensure satisfaction of all parties especially women but more importantly, the issue of sex discrimination should be addressed from the feminist view since they are the major casualties of the same other than the norm that enhances viewing it from a masculine perspective.
Even though the author has highlighted sex discrimination among women in the society. He has actually ignored the male discrimination that is glaring in the society today. The concept of contra-power harassment where junior officials harass their seniors is almost completely nonexistent in the society with the emergence of ethics and moral codes of conduct in the job industry. To some extent increase of more women to positions wielding powerful influence in policy levels to the levels greater than 50% is likely to bring resentment and successive tilting of the balance to female dominance and superiority. There is a need for zero consideration of gender in issues of executive positions but strict adherence to the ethics, moral code of conduct and reputation which determines the treatment of junior officials and approach to matters of sex discrimination. Merely increasing the number may not help curb the rise in gender discrimination. It is also important to note that preference of women in managerial and executive positions is practically almost impossible to execute in the current society that champions for equality and equity with emphasis on professional qualification
All in all, it is evident going by statics of glaring gender discrimination and sexual harassment as exhibited by the author. The 90% cases of women sexual harassment must stop. I still conquer with the author that women be offered more powerful positions to effectively address this vice. Consequently, better policies must be developed and implemented, the indifference perceptions of the different genders on gender harassment must be harmonized to provide a better position for addressing the challenge. Feminist ideals and the empowerment of the girl child must keep on taking Centre stage to better address this. Women must be encouraged to stand up for themselves.
