Since the 1960s, women have achieved total gender equality and have increasingly taken on a broad range of jobs and professions. The changing social and political climate has helped to transform the lives of working women in America. Today, women are visible in virtually every profession and are breaking through the gender gap, making significant progress. But there’s still a lot of progress that needs to be made. Here are some key facts about working women in America, to better understand the obstacles they face and how they continue to progress.
Historical Milestones
Throughout history, the roles of working women in America have been impacted by a variety of legislative acts, court cases and other major milestones. The following are some major dates in history that helped to shape the lives of working women:
• 1954: Brown v. Board of Education rules state segregation of public schools unconstitutional
• 1965: The Equal Pay Act of 1963 forbade wage discrimination on the basis of gender
• 1972: Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 made discrimination on the basis of gender illegal
• 1978: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibited discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace
• 1996: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act provided welfare benefits to low-income individuals and families
Current Inequality
Despite the major leaps and bounds made over the past few decades, working women in America still face inequality in the workplace. Here are some of the key facts highlighting the current challenges of women in the workforce:
• Women earn 19% less than men
• women are underrepresented in c-suite leadership roles positions
• Women make up just over 4% of Fortune 500 CEO’s
• just 11.7% of board members of Fortune 500 companies are female
• only 33% of all professional-level jobs are held by women
• Only 39% of businesses were owned by women in 2018
• Women continue to be significantly underrepresented in tech fields
How Women are Progressing
Although there are still glaring disparities in the workplace, women have come a long way and are making great strides in various industries. The following are some key facts and figures highlighting the positive changes women are making:
• Women-owned businesses generate over $3 trillion in annual revenue
• Women-led companies receive 60% more venture capital funding than companies led by men
• 82% of business owners are women of color
• 60% of STEM jobs are held by women
• 89% of women report that they are more likely to be in a leadership role compared to a decade ago
• 66% of women perceive themselves to have career opportunities that are equal to men
In the face of inequalities and the gender gap, working women in America are making great progress. Significant strides have been made in closing the gender gap, with more women-owned businesses and women-led companies. Women are taking on more leadership roles in the workforce and making great headway in traditionally male-dominated fields. Meanwhile, legislative acts and court cases have helped to protect and boost the rights of working women in America, making it possible for them to thrive in their respective fields.
