8.7 Social Change/Activism
Efforts to address issues of gendered pay inequity, violence against sex workers, and harassment in the workplace are ongoing in society. Sociologists continue to study the many issues involving gender and the workplace. Grassroots and large-scale advocacy programs exist throughout Oregon and the United States. It is important to recognize various issues of gender inequity in the workplace. The remedies to positively affect change for workers, their families, and companies can improve employees’ work environments and improve the businesses where they work.
8.7.1 DEI Efforts
One way to encourage gender equality in the workplace is through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. DEI efforts are now commonplace, such as large companies requiring awareness training for employees. In 2017, 87% of corporations had sexual harassment training which explicitly stated that employees cannot be discriminated against based on gender identity (Human Rights Campaign Foundation 2016). Smaller scale efforts such as companies encouraging and explaining the importance of pronoun use in email signature lines and providing gender-neutral bathrooms help solidify gender inclusivity in the workplace.
8.7.2 Attempted Remedies for Pay Gap
Attempts to address gender-equal involvement in all fields can start early in a potential worker’s life. The lack of women in STEM fields can be tackled in primary or secondary education systems. Middle school robotics teams specifically geared toward girls help build interest in students and societal acceptance for professional fields where women are historically underrepresented. These programs are often supported by local companies that help connect middle schoolers to women engineers and programmers as mentors. Early exposure to professionals in science provides youth with a living, breathing example that participation in all industries is possible for all genders. There need to be more equal employment rates for all genders in all industries, to close the gender pay gap.
8.7.3 New Masculinities
Gender discussions should not just be focused on women, nonbinary, and transgender workers. What it means to be masculine must also be part of the conversation. We have already discussed gendered norms for workplaces, such as males cracking into the heavily female nursing profession. Having employees who understand the unique needs of patients means a diverse workforce is essential for the success of businesses.
Studies reported that stay-at-home fathers with working partners find being a full-time parent rewarding and this did not negatively affect their own perception of masculinity. Being a full-time father is not possible for all income groups though. Due to societal norms and perceptions of what it means to be masculine, “a woman’s income has to be substantial to offset the loss of a man’s income if he stays home. Until women’s incomes equal men’s incomes across occupations, staying at home may be mostly an option for privileged men” (Solomon 2017:36).
Incorporating parental leave for all gender workers is an important part of addressing traditional masculinity in the workplace. Research from Sweden finds stronger parent-child bonds for fathers who take the paternity leave to which they are entitled (Evertsson, Boye, and Erman 2018).
8.7.4 Activity: Immigration and Generational Change
8.7.4.1 How Likely Mexican-American Men are to Engage in Housework and Childcare
Modern research on gender normative expectations for all gendered workers, housework, and childcare show changing norms from one generation to the next. Mexican American families are good examples of these changing ideologies and, thus, lifestyles over time. Changes in gender norms over multiple generations were studied using qualitative interviews (Vasquez 2014).
Traditionally, masculine ideologies and behaviors of patriarchal dominance exist for most first-generation Mexican American immigrant families. Second and third-generation families were found to change gender normative roles and expectations purposefully. For instance, men found traditionally tough and restrictive behaviors towards wives negatively impacted their relationships, so a conscious effort was made to move towards more compassionate and equality-based relationships.
Further generations also saw the negative impact of their father’s dominance on the overall family, especially women and girls, so they consciously tried to change their relationship behaviors in adulthood. Female children in first-generation families were discouraged from achieving formal education or seeking gender-balanced relationships. Yet, many saw inequality in their families they did not desire, so they pushed forward with formal education and gender-equitable relationships with partners (Vasquez 2014). Social change affecting gender norms in the workplace can happen in various ways, as we explored in this chapter. The changing norms and values in immigrant, second, or even third-generation families documents how a change in society takes place over time.
8.7.5 Licenses and Attributions for Social Change and Activism
“Social Change and Activism” by Jane Forbes is licensed under CC BY 4.0.