Sexism, Division of Labour, and Women's Enslavement by Beauty

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1. What forms can sexism take in the workplace? What "sex-typing" takes place in occupations in the United States? What is meant by the term glass ceiling? Please explain and give examples to facilitate the responses to each question

Sexism, or sexual discrimination, or chauvinism, is based on society's understanding of what is right and what is wrong with how to "treat" the opposite sex.

As we know, sexism is usually attributed to maltreatment against women. In today's society, sexism has fallen into the category of gender equality thus forms of sexism in the workplace usually have to do with males being treated differently than females.

One such way is in the pay gap. A man and a woman can be equally qualified for a job but when the salaries of the males and females are exposed, women are still taking home less than their male counterparts. The gap is different with different industries. The pay gap includes lower raises for women and lower instances of promotions. Some places still hold onto stereotypes of women not being the primary breadwinners thus do not need to make more money.

Sexual harassment is still evident in workplaces even if it is as subtle as looks or slight remarks. In some cases, it can be traumatic.

Women are usually not socially "included" in office environments that are predominantly male. This is commonly known as the classic "boys' club" dynamic.

Maternity leave or even pregnancy in the workplace can be deemed "problems" in some workplaces. Some companies will see it as a liability in its progress.

The culture and norms of the office can be sexist in nature even though the actors may not admit to it. The women may be asked to do small errands like cleaning up, tidying up, getting coffee, and so on even though they have similar positions to their male counterparts.

Sex-typing, or gender typing, occurs in occupations such as construction, waste management (garbage collection), nursing, engineering, and taxi driving to provide some examples.

The term "glass ceiling" is used in reference to women and minority groups. It refers to an inanimate, and in most cases, unacknowledged barrier, as in a ceiling which is a barrier to an environment that is different than the one that is being occupied. The "glass ceiling" refers to a barrier to further advancement for women and minorities. It means that women and minorities can only reach a certain level within an organization and that organization recognizes this reality that is not written but an inherent fact. Women and minorities can see the ...