WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW?

We got up-close and personal with 30 San Diegans to find out what they believe and understand about their own workplace cultures.

Even with this small sampling, we uncovered some fascinating thoughts, misconceptions, biases, and practices that perpetuate gender injustice by obstructing women and, yes, impacting men every day.

Observation #1: PEOPLE BELIEVE IN PAY PARITY. So far so good. Everyone agreed that pay should be based only on talent and contributions, not gender.

SO WHY DOES PAY INEQUITY EXIST? In San Diego, full-time working men make an average of $50,359 a year, while women average $42,486. [Census Bureau]

A. Women trade lower salaries for flexible hours to care for children

B. Women accept lower starting salaries and don’t negotiate because they’re worried about seeming “too aggressive”

C. Women are punished for promoting themselves

D. Women are more expected to be primary parents so they get behind in, or drop out of, their careers

E. Supervisors assume women will prioritize family, and give them less aggressive (and less lucrative) accounts

F. All of the above and more – yes, this is the correct answer!

HOW DO WE ADDRESS ALL THE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS?

You can’t. That’s why the Kim Center is doing the deeper dive and tackling THE CENTRAL ISSUE: Society still values women less than men.

This results in women being assigned the bulk of caregiving and homemaking responsibilities, which are also undervalued by society. It allows us to perpetuate double-standards for female behavior. Worst of all, we are taking it for granted that women often must work harder to become accomplished, be noticed, and get rewarded.

Next time: PRIMARY CAREGIVERS