Gender Inequality
Gender inequality exists in Canadian society and forms part of its social organization. This inequality begins from conception where the behavior and personalities of children are shaped according to their gender. Gender inequality has a huge impact on the Canadian wealth distribution as men and women have different opportunities and face varying barriers to earning incomes and assets. The behavior and personalities that men are taught to have from their birth make them have more abilities and power than women in acquiring wealth. There have been efforts in addressing the gender inequality factor in the Canadian wealth distribution but the inequality persists (Fortin et al., 2012). Gender inequality negatively affects wealth distribution between Canadian men and women, and the best approach to address the gender inequality issue in the Canadian society is to have a different definition of gender inequality. For example, defining gender inequality as a product of various complex social forces.
In Canada, gender inequality in wealth distribution is rife but is hard to measure because wealth is characteristically
…show more content…
Gender inequality is not an outcome of actions done by one person to another but a combination of various social sources such as gender socialization (Pullman & Andres, 2015). Gender socialization refers to the process of determining the expectations and attitudes of society regarding the gender of its people. Gender socialization arises from the different roles that boys and girls have in the society. This socialization is a force behind gender inequality as these roles result in the inequality. It will, therefore, be important to address gender socialization by encouraging gender equity and gender equality among the Canadian population (Pullman & Andres,
Today, women in Canada earn about 72% of men’s wages for similar work: full-time, full year. Many doubters of the wage gap argue that women earn less than men mainly because they work fewer hours, as a group, then men do. However, the
In a recent interview in the Ottawa Citizen, Justin Trudeau spoke on his decision to increase taxation on the wealthy upper class in order to redistribute money to the middle and lower class. This is in response to the issue of stalled median household income where Canada’s GDP has doubled yet household income has only increased by 15% (Kennedy 2015). This hints at income inequality in Canada, as it sheds light at the struggle of middle class families to provide for their families. Parents are having to choose between their retirements or providing education for their child (Kennedy 2015). To Justin Trudeau, this means that “something isn’t working anymore” (Kennedy 2015). Most likely, he senses that the way money is earned and distributed in Canada is highly unbalanced, leading to a income gap between the rich and the poor. Trudeau’s solution to middle class worries is to increases taxation on upper class
In today’s society it is unfortunate to say that a person’s income does reflect their value to society. Classism, it affects all of us. The government has classified you based on your yearly income. For example; if your income is between $18,000 - $23,000 you are classifed as a lower class Canadian. If your income is between $35,000 - $55,000 you are the average middle class Canadian. To be classified as an upper class Canadian your income would need to be anything above $55,000. The government has also classified those with combined income so if you are common - law, or married. Have you ever wondered why a doctor gets paid more than a construction worker? A doctor gets paid roughly $360,000 a year compared to the $63,000 a year income a
Furthermore the high income inequality is not the only issue Canadian families are facing, with enormous cutbacks from the government, Canadians are facing a lot more precarious times. The government has been reducing the economic security and access to public and social services has also been undermined many of the statutory benefits people use to enjoy in the past. Part of this problem with has to do with the employers and media idea of “flexibility”. Employers and the media often claim that the "flexibility" provided by precarious employment offers workers improved work-family balance and other lifestyle benefits. The reality, however, is that 1/3 of adult women who work part-time said they would prefer to work full-time, and this proportion
Even though Canada sits in the middle of the scale, while considering inequality, it stays behind countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In wake of the globalization, public austerity programs, middle class incomes are getting lower and fiscal challenges at all government levels are threatening education, pensions, and public health care. It is more difficult how for 20 and 30 years old people to get a better life than their parents had. In Canada, middle class is vanishing and a big gap is between poor and rich. The wealth is in the hands of 1% going after US strand and disparity between C.E.Os. and workers is so evident. In 2012, the ratio was 1:122 while a decade earlier
These were five women who acted as activist and was award and recognize in Canada for making Canada a better place to live. The five incidents that involved gender inequality against women. .Constance Backhouse exposed inequalities, for women and other oppressed groups in Canada. Then, Nahanni Fontaine is a special advisor on aboriginal women's Issues for the Aboriginal Issues. Susan Kathryn Shiner highlighting women's inequality as a root cause of violence against women as an issue, as she became aware of incidents of inequality she worked for social change. Last but no leased Julie Lalonde who studied the impact of poverty and isolation on elderly women making a difference in improving the lives of women and girls to end sexual assault and
Inequality in Canada is not as prominent as many other places around the world, although it does remain in certain segments of Canada. There are many forms of inequality in Canada and internationally, although this papers main focus is going to be the inequality of wealth. According to Steven Kerstetter “Canadians may view their country as a land of opportunity, but it is also a land of deep and abiding inequality in the distribution of personal wealth” (Kerstetter 2002). The “gaps between the rich and poor remain evident in Canadian statistics” (Kerstetter 2002), Canadians have always kept financial security as an essential element of life and have tried to obtain and sustain it within their lives. Frank Cunningham’s article, “What’s
They also argue that gender inequality in not the outcome of choices, personal attributes or relationships with others, but structural sources such as workplaces, schools, and the government as they are unable to provide women with the same resources as men. This includes healthcare, education, equal wages and an overall balance between men and women.
In almost all nations involved with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, female involvement in the workforce has increased significantly. There are more women in the workforce than ever before and these numbers continue to increase, but gender inequality is still an issue in nations like Canada. Among these issues, economic gender inequality continues to exist due to inadequately addressed issues in the workplace and society. These issues include horizontal segregation and vertical
Through the Contemporary Women’s Issues in Canada course, various topics related to gender inequality were discussed. Due to a long history, of sexism and misogyny in many aspects of Canadian society, outdated behaviours and thoughts have prevailed in many aspects of society. Three main topics that are central to achieving gender equality are gendered violence, gender roles and socialization, and child care.
The process of gender socialization reveals much about how gender identities are formed, but gender is not just a matter of identity: Gender is embedded in social institutions. This means that institutions are patterned by gender, resulting in different experiences and opportunities for men and women. The concept of the term “gendered institutions” means that entire institutions are patterned by gender. In a gendered institution, men and women are channeled into different, and often differently valued, social spaces or activities and their choices have different and often unequal consequences. Gendered institutions are the total pattern of gender relations, which includes the following (Acker 1992): stereotypical expectations, interpersonal relationships, and the division of labor along lines of gender. As well as, the images and symbols that support these divisions and the different placement of men and women in social, economic, and political hierarchies of institutions.
Women remain at an economic disadvantage compared to men due to the fact that some occupations still pay women less than their male counterparts. This unequal pay reinforces the thinking that it is okay for men to make more than women just because of their gender. This is an obstacle within the workplace which prevents a woman from advancing her career and allows for higher positions to continue consisting almost entirely of men. Present day in the labour market, “Canadian women earn 23% less than men regardless of their age, education or occupation” (Struman, 2015). Even though women have been quite successful in seeking employment and many possess a decent education, women continue to face a difference in pay because of their gender. In order to be seen as equals women need to be earning the same amount as their male coworkers because they possess the necessary skills needed to complete the job. Differences in pay should be based on an individual’s qualifications and job experience not their gender. The difference in pay prevents women from achieving success and reinforces the point that women remain at an economic disadvantage. Gender based pay is problematic and “[t]he Canadian gender pay gap is the fifth largest among the 34 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries… [and] the pay gap is particularly pronounced for single mothers, racialized women, First Nations women, and women with disabilities” (Struman, 2015). Gender
Our society has the belief that women have always been portrayed as weak, emotional, and powerless. Throughout this article by Tavia Grant, it shows how women do not get the same opportunities men receive. Statistically shown, women are still earning less money than men regardless to the amount of education they possess (Grant). Women are accepted to hold obligations regarding family tasks while the men do the providing in the family. The article shows the disadvantages women have in Canada compared to men, however, it also shows gender inequality and gender discrimination.
Gender inequality is a social problem that is widespread in society. It is referred to as the unfair treatment of individuals based on one 's gender. Historically, laws have opposed women to go to school, access certain jobs, and purchase property. Gender inequality has been experience through culture – honor-killing, sex-selective abortion, and society – occupation, gender roles, and education. The social expectations of men and women differ between cultures that are constructed socially and culturally. These expectations are displayed in roles, and behavior believed both by men and women and their interdependent relationships. Gender inequality can be further understood through the structure of sexism. Discrimination takes place in gender inequality for the reason that men and women are treated on the basis of gender alone (Amjad, R., Ashfaq, M., Kousar, R., Saghir, A., 2010).
Lets take a look at the core of gender inequality. What first must be distinguished is the difference between sex and gender. Sex refers to the biological label given to each individual at birth (Social Inequalities 316). We are labeled male or female based on our sex organs, bodily chemistry, and bodily functions in general (Social Inequalities 316). The social and cultural differences not acquired at birth determine gender (Social Inequalities 316). These accepted behaviors to which men and women are expected to conform are established by the society. These are referred to characteristics of femininity and masculinity. As one grows up they realize their role to play in society and make it their duty to play their role to its full extent. This is how inequality begins.