How decades of deprivation has resulted in the disassociation of female entitlement

ÔÇÿItÔÇÖs a manÔÇÖs worldÔÇÖ.

A common lyric and misconception of the worldÔÇÖs society since memories and records date back to. History documents countless moments of significance for women whose choices, views, relationships, personas, and occupations have been unjustly controlled and dictated by others.

This may seem like common knowledge to most, or just another ÔÇÿfeminist approachÔÇÖ to the world as we see it, which is seen by many as equal by now. In some cases, you would be right, women are more commonly seen in politics and senior rolls, as well as in the media. But in the case of working women, you couldnÔÇÖt be more wrong.

A recent study by ÔÇÿThe Female LeadÔÇÖ discovered something called the ÔÇÿUnentitled MindsetÔÇÖ where women have been conditioned to feel less entitled than men ÔÇô at work, at home, after maternity leave, and in most compartments of their lives ÔÇô due to decades of institutionalized sexism. This ÔÇÿunentitled mindsetÔÇÖ results in a lack of confidence at work and within oneÔÇÖs self, leaving many women under payed and overworked in positions identical to their male colleagues.

Findings from the 2021 study found that 44% of women said they feel less entitled to promotions or increased salaries at their work. Another 35% of women surveyed felt that they had experienced an entitlement gap or have seen it be experienced by others. A large majority ÔÇô 69% – of women also said that giving birth and the maternity leave given because of this affected their career progression due to the workspace being unaccommodating to new parents.

These perceptions of women have resulted in an ÔÇÿentitlement gapÔÇÖ where men are far more likely to succeed in an identical occupation to a womenÔÇÖs due to the countless favorable intuitional policies and practices originally designed for, and by, males. This gap includes differences in wages, maternity treatment, and abilities to work towards more senior roles within a business.

Even as a progressive democratic society, movements such as ÔÇÿThe 1970ÔÇÖs Equal Pay ActÔÇÖ still have not bridged the gender pay gap as on average women are still paid less than men to do the same jobs. Rather than tackling the many hegemonic ideologies tied to women and their capabilities in the workplace, a transformation of business culture and its policies must come into play and change. Although, as seen by the Equal Pay Act, not all lawful accommodations to the issue solve the problem but changing and adapting constitutional practices is a good start. A shift from fixing women to fixing the society we were all equally born into is the only way change will be seen.

In correlation with the pandemic, data shows womenÔÇÖs jobs are more vulnerable than menÔÇÖs, and that women have been hired at a lower rate since the start of COVID-19 than their male counterparts. So, these changes wonÔÇÖt be seen anytime soon.

Header Image: Stylist.co.uk (2021)