Why Gender Equality is Important at the Workplace

What is Gender Equality?

What is Gender Equality? We all have heard the term "sexism" in reference to discrimination against women in the workplace, in politics, in education, in sports, in the courtroom and in many other areas. But what is Gender equality? And how can we know if we have equality? These are important questions that must be answered.

The term "gender equality" means the same thing as "the right to be treated equally" in terms of your choices in life. It is about equal opportunity to pursue an education, to gain employment, to get married and to have children.

Gender Equality and it's Role?

Gender equality, also called female equality or the condition of female equality of the other sexes, is the condition of equal access to opportunities and choices regardless of sex, which includes financial participation, reproductive health, and legal status; and the equal enjoyment of different rights, aspirations, and choices by both men and women. This applies to people with a diverse range of personal characteristics, from transgendered people to those with only one X chromosome.

Those who identify as non-binary identifies who they are, or has no definite idea what their gender is, have a greater degree of risk of violence, sexual abuse, and violence committed against them, as compared to others in the community.

Their experiences are further compounded by the social, cultural, and political consequences of gender roles that are imposed upon them at birth. Transgendered, gay and lesbian people suffer discrimination both in the workplace and socially, when it comes to their gender roles.

Those who cannot answer basic questions about their gender often find themselves feeling alienated, depressed, hopeless, and wondering what the point of going on with their lives is.

Gender Equality in Contrast

Gender equality is a two-way effort, where not only do we fight for the rights of those who cannot answer these questions about their gender, we also work to eliminate all forms of discrimination, harassment, and violence based on gender, sexual orientation, and identity. While many have made statements against gender inequality, there is still much work to be done to eliminate this unjust system of values. We must work together, as a world, if we are to move forward towards true gender equality.

What is Gender Equality? A major factor in the systematic oppression and disregard of the rights and dignity of those who identify as Transgendered, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender is the significant impact of family planning and health issues.

Many who would benefit from improved reproductive health and gender equality choose to undergo long term, elective surgeries or procedures at some point in their life, to be able to afford them. Unfortunately, these same people are the ones who are least likely to be able to afford them, because health-care providers and insurance companies do not have gender expectations or guidelines regarding elective surgery.

It is no wonder then, that many, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals find themselves repeatedly denied proper health care and assistance when they are in need. Gender equity is a major factor in providing better care for all Transgendered, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals, through improved guidelines and expectations for gender treatment.

Effects of Gender Equality

The other major effect of the systematic oppression and disregard of the rights and dignity of those who identify as Transgendered, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender is the lack of non-conformity about gender roles and expectations. When it comes to gender roles, non-binary people often receive the "benefit" of the doubt and not the harsh critiques that those with traditionally "defined" gender roles experience.

Unfortunately, the lack of non-conformity about gender roles extends even further, into education. Educationally, there are more myths and misconceptions surrounding the topic of sex and gender than ever before. There is a great deal of ignorance when it comes to the topic of gender equality.

How to Educate People about Gender Equality

Education is the best place to start when one seeks to understand, learn about, and appreciate the concepts of gender equality. In education, the concept of gender equity is taught and discussed. However, it is also taught when it does not matter, as is often the case with most subjects taught in schools. Education should be a place of inclusion and equal opportunities, without the fear of what is gender equality or the attack of those who would question the validity of certain behaviors or lifestyles.

Why Gender Equality is Important at the Workplace?

What sorts of things should a workplace do to promote gender equality? First of all, this should involve both men and women in senior roles. Companies should not be hesitant to give promotions to men over women when it comes to higher management positions.

Those who are willing to go the extra mile and do the research on their own behalf will be more likely to get ahead in life. A company can start by conducting an online survey to determine where gaps exist between men and women. In addition, a workplace can use a survey to determine what sort of expectations exists between men and women and how those expectations affect their career advancement.

Why do you think gender equality is important?

Surveys have shown that when given a choice, most people want to work in a place where they would be treated with fairness and equality. A common myth about gender equality is that people believe that it only benefits women. However, a recent survey revealed that a large majority of the working population believes that gender equality means both men and women are treated equally at work. This shows that the myth that it only benefits women is false.

How to Treat Gender Equality?

Why do you think that employers should have the freedom to choose which employees they hire? The fact is that companies are limited in their ability to choose randomly who they wish to hire. An employee's gender may impact a company's decision to hire someone, but there are more factors to consider.

A good example is how much experience an applicant has had in their line of work. There are great stories of companies who have hired individuals with no experience at all and have grown into successful businesses solely because of the experiences that each one of them brought to the company.

Why is gender equality important for mothers?

Mothers experience many barriers to accessing higher-paid positions and promotions at work. These barriers include pay differences between men and women, fewer opportunities for career development, harsher evaluations, and maternity leave policies. Mothers also face unique hardships that contribute to a lack of upward mobility such as childcare costs, parental leave, and a high cost of living.

Why should organizations use gender equality as part of their workplace culture?

The reality is that the Olympics can promote a message of unity and equality, as well as giving children the opportunity to participate in a global event. If every organization could ensure that their employees and visitors feel welcome regardless of their gender, then the world would be a better place.

Organizations that focus on creating an inclusive and respectful workplace for everyone would see a significant positive change in their performance and customer satisfaction. A study done by McKinsey showed that gender equality was the single most important factor that resulted in improved customer satisfaction.

How can you contribute to a workplace culture of gender equality?

There are several ways to do this. You can encourage your employees to join and participate in activities that foster a sense of equality and diversity or you can create a policy requiring full participation from employees in all decisions that affect diversity and equality. If you feel strongly about this topic, then speak up and get your company in line. The Olympic spirit should live on in the work place.

Conclusion

There are various ways of tackling the problem of gender inequality and empowerment at different levels. We can achieve full gender equality through the legal system by ensuring that domestic violence is illegal. We can empower women through empowering them in the workplace. And we can empower women through promoting the concept of gender equality and combating all forms of gender prejudice, bias, and discrimination.

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