Women in Texas alone lose $77 billion to the wage gap every year- and that number continues to increase. As women became more prominent in the workforce, pay continues to lack, not only in our state, but nation-wide.
Background
Historically, women didn’t typically enter the workforce. As the 1800s progressed and women started earning jobs, they worked on very low levels and never attained the positions held by men. In the next century women finally held the same jobs as their equal counterparts due to the lack of men available. As women carved their place into the economic sphere, they were yet to receive equal treatment; in fact, they are yet to receive equal pay.
Where the Gap Came From
The gender wage gap emerged from the lasting stigmas about specific gender roles, despite the changing niche of women economically. It was believed for a very long time that women didn’t work because men would be more efficient, and that belief remained despite workforce demographic changes. Occupational segregation also played a role, meaning women are typically steered away from top-tier, higher paying jobs that are usually reserved for men. Due to this, women have been pushed away from many male dominated fields towards those with smaller paychecks. In fact, out of the 20 least paying jobs in America, women make up 2/3s of that workforce. This is a prime example of occupational segregation at work, lending itself to the gender wage gap.
Wage Gap in Texas
In the Lonestar state, the gender wage gap holds varying degrees of extreme. On average for the state, women earn only 83% of what men earn for performing the same work with the same amount of skill and background. As of 2021, however, Texas’s staggering difference was less than the national average. This means that each woman earns approximately $12000 less than what she deserves for the work she's done. Looking at areas of Texas on a smaller scale, Houston has a smaller gap than the national average- men earn only $4000 more per year. One of the lowest gaps in America still holds enough money to make a downpayment on a car. In comparison to other areas across this broad state, Frisco holds the worst gender pay gap in the nation, with men earning almost $52000 more than women. This is the equivalent to some’s yearly income. In total, this means all women in Texas lose about $77 billion to the wage gap, even though the state is home to 1.3 million women who serve as the breadwinners for their household. What these women lose in pay is enough to afford 78 weeks of extra food.
Wage Gap on a National Level
The gender wage gap in our nation as a whole has women earning, on average, 84 cents for every 1$ a man earns, a statistic that is ever so slightly better than just Texas. Despite the United State’s known reputation as groundbreaking change makers and the land of equality, the US is surpassed in wage equality by countries from all continents. Many of these countries are still developing stable gender rights, yet they have still addressed the importance of equal pay. Despite the percentage of women in the workforce steadily increasing since 1940 while men have seen the opposite, women are still not paid the same. This gap causes women all over the nation to wait eagerly for Equal Pay Day, held on March 12 for the 2024 year. The passing of this federal holiday means that working women have finally held their jobs to earn the same amount of pay as a man had earned the year prior. Even after this holiday women still only earn what men already have. This past year, women lost $1.6 trillion to the wage gap. This pay gap makes it much harder for women to build long term economic security, meaning the gender is more likely to fall below the poverty line. If the same rate of progress continues, women will not earn equal pay util 2067- and even then there is no guarantee
Advancements
Luckily, advancements have been made to combat this unequal wage issue. In 1963, President Kennedy passed the Federal Equal Pay Act, prohibiting sex discrimination when both genders in the same place perform jobs of equal skill. This law seems to advocate for equal wages in theory- however, this act has been ineffective due to loopholes regarding the merit system and seniority. The lack of national enforcement has caused Texas to take its own action. The Texas Equal Pay Law mandates equal compensation for the same grade of service, and the Texas Paycheck Fairness Act was passed to help enforce the Equal Pay Act. Increasing women’s wages will boost spending and investment and help circulate the US economy. Women work equally as hard to earn less pay- we can only hope that enforcement of equal pay acts will lead to progress.
Resources
Biden Jr., Joseph R. “A Proclamation on National Equal Pay Day, 2024.” The White House, 2024, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/03/11/a-proclamation-on-national-equal-pay-day-2024/#:~:text=Women%27s%20labor%20force%20participation%20is,every%20dollar%20paid%20to%20men.
Bureau of Labor Statitics, US. “Women’s Earnings in Texas-2022.” US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022, www.bls.gov/regions/southwest/news-release/womensearnings_texas.htm.
Connelly, Christopher. “A Costly Gender Gap: Texas Women Working Full Time Earn Less than Men Annually.” KERA News, 2023, www.keranews.org/news/2023-03-14/a-costly-gender-gap-texas-women-working-full-time-earn-12-000-less-than-men-annually.
Khattar, Rose. “Closing the Gender Pay Gap.” Cap 20, 2024, www.americanprogress.org/article/playbook-for-the-advancement-of-women-in-the-economy/closing-the-gender-pay-gap/.
Law Firm, Melton. “The Pay Gap.” The Melton Law Firm, 2024, www.jfmeltonlaw.com/practice-areas/equal-pay/pay-gap/.
Wiley, P.C., Rob. “Equal Pay for Men and Women.” Rob Wiley P.C. Dallas Employment Lawyers, 2024, www.robwiley.com/equal-pay-for-men-and-women.html.