Congrats, Grad.

Atta girl. You just graduated with multiple bachelor’s degrees from a renowned university. (You were top of your class, no doubt.) Now it’s time to put that knowledge to the test and start applying for jobs. Go get ‘em!

Women in the United States and across the globe face major setbacks at work due to one simple and arbitrary obstacle: what is (or isn’t) between their legs.

 

This infographic explicates the inequalities and issues faced by women in the American workplace, including the wage gap, sexual harassment, and professional development opportunities.

Job Huntress

Okay, so finding a job isn't quite as easy as you imagined. A lot of your basic needs are starting to look like luxury goods when trying to find the right company. Not to mention, that last guy who interviewed you was super creepy, right? That's okay. You're resilient. You can get through anything.

Peasant Status

Yes! You finally found a job! Sure, your desk is in a tiny corner with no windows (and it kind of smells like damp leaves and sorrow), but it's a start. It won't be long. Set up shop, make some friends, and get down to business. Girls are gonna run this place pretty soon. I mean, what are we gonna do instead, sit around and bake pies? Right.

Wait, what?

So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?

someone should do something!

Well, we tried. Except on March 27, Donald Trump revoked the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces order.  President Barack Obama put this executive order in place in 2014 to ensure that companies with federal contracts would comply with fourteen labor and civil rights laws. The Fair Pay order was put in place after a 2010 Government Accountability Office investigation showed that companies with rampant violations were being awarded millions in federal contracts. Cool. Money beats women in government again.

 

There is also the Paycheck Fairness Act. This was blocked (of course) by a Republican filibuster, but if enacted, the bill would make it illegal for employers to retaliate against workers who inquire about or disclose their wages or the wages of other employees in a complaint or investigation. (AKA, you could ask Kevin what he’s making and tell your boss that it’s total bullshit and you need a raise, like, stat.) The bill would also make employers subject to civil actions by employees who feel aggrieved. As part of the bill, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would also be required to collect pay information from employers. That means you could hold your company accountable and not be fired for complaining. Amazing. We should totally do that, but we can't.

 

The Trump administration also stopped an Obama-era Equal Pay rule that required companies to report how much they pay their workers based on both race and gender. The transparencies would have made it easier to close the wage gap, but alas, we're still working on that one.

Oh, baby!

Some super exciting news made you drop the rage about your check for a minute: Ya girl Karen from accounting is having a baby! Karen's not very psyched, though. The boss man is giving her a really hard time,  saying she's not as devoted to her job as everyone else because of her "lack of commitment to the company" in taking so much leave. I mean, she's literally going to squeeze a human life out of her bod, and your boss is being a real dick about it. On top of all the other things she'll have to worry about once lil boo comes into the world, Karen shouldn't have to be so concerned about job security.

no baby

While you're happy for Karen right now, you can't help but think about how difficult it would be for you to have a baby at this point in your life. Birth control is the way to go for you. Isn't it great that you can make that choice for yourself? Well surprise, surprise, it's not so easy anymore. Yet again, President Trump and the GOP's war on women killed this one for you too. On top of the continued effort to close down women's clinics across the country, new regulations allow employers and insurers to cease coverage or payment for coverage of contraceptives if they object “based on its sincerely held religious beliefs,” or have other “moral convictions” against covering such care. Moral convictions? So if they don't want to help a mamma take care of her baby out of the womb, why can't they help with some preventative methods? It's almost as though church and state never separated. Not to mention, religious women use birth control. It's not a religious issue, it's male members of government using 'morals' as an excuse. This is some strage shit, girlfriend.

Movin' on up

Cut to a few years down the road: You've built a decent portfolio, you've shaken the hands of so many people, and you've made a bit of a name for yourself. Finally, finally you have an office with a window... a window! It may be middle management, but it's something. As much as you're itching for a spot in the C-suite, those old codgers aren't going anywhere. "It's not your time yet." We'll see.

It's Just water cooler talk...

You're beginning to notice more and more how unfair things are around the office. Your mama did tell you life wasn't going to be fair; it sure didn't  prepare you for today's encounter, though. Brad from marketing stopped you by the water cooler as you went to make your afternoon cup of tea in the break room. All he did was ask you on a date, but he did not take refusal well...

 

You said you were flattered but not interested in dating. You're new to your job and want to do good work--as if you even need to make an excuse for yourself not to date someone. Instead of brushing it off like a normal person, Brad called you a slut and said, "You're not that cute anyway," and stomped off (like a child). Earlier in the week, you're pretty sure he slapped your ass, but you thought it was an accident after he dropped his binder in the hallway. I'm not sure how much longer this can go on.

'rest' & 'relaxation'

Looking ahead to life after work (as if there's an end in sight), you wonder how you'll take care of yourself in retirement. Sure, you have some savings, but your 401k is pretty average at best. Social Security is a thing, but will it be enough? I guess you could get a part-time job. What if you get sick or hurt? There are so many things to be prepared for, and it all seems out of your control.

What a wild and cheerful ride that was. It seems as though every step of your way, there was some sort of obstacle you had to overcome in this story of life, simply because you had a vagina. Dope.

 

We didn't even get to some huge topics! Like how age discrimination forces women out of the workplace early, or how women who are on their periods or lactating get reprimanded just because their bodies are doing their natural thing, not to mention the entire industries of sex work and dancing!

 

There simply isn't enough time in the world to cover all the injustices faced by women at work every single day. Nothing is ever easy. The important thing to remember, though, is that you must try to overcome regardless of the situation. Look one section below to see how you can make a change.

resources (you should read 'em, too):

AARP, "Women and Social Security Benefits"

 

The Atlantic, "Trump Reverses Obama Rule on Birth Control"

 

Americans with Disabilities Act

 

AWARE, "Research Study on Workplace Sexual Harassment 2008"

 

Boston Globe, "On Campus, Women Outnumber Men More Than Ever"

 

Civil Rights Act

 

Cosmopolitan, "Survey: 1 in 3 Women Has Been Sexually Harassed at Work"

 

Family & Medical Leave Act

 

FindLaw.com, "Illegal Interview Questions and Female Applicants"

 

Guttmacher Institute, "Contraceptive Use in the United States"

 

Huff Post, "No Woman Should Be Asked These Questions During A Job Interview"

 

National Women's Law Center, "Equal Pay for Asian Women" // "Equal Pay for Black Women" // "Equal Pay for Native Women" // "Equal Pay for Latinas" // "The Wage Gap: The Who, How, Why, and What To Do"

 

NBC News, "Trump Halted Obama’s Equal Pay Rule. What it Means for Working Women"

 

Pew Research Center, "The Data on Women Leaders"

 

Pregnancy Discrimination Act

 

U.S. Department of Labor, "12 Stats About Working Women" & "5 Facts About Working Women and Retirement"

 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

The Washington Post, "The Industries with the Worst Sexual Harassment Problem"

all statistics, copy, art, & graphics for this web page were researched, written, & designed by katie kiesewetter | fall 2017

So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?
So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?
So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?
So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?
So you opened your first paycheck, and everything was fine at first because it was the salary you discussed with the boss man in your interview. It's a fair entry-level wage as far as you're concerned. Whatever. But Kevin from the cubicle next to you was peepin' over your shoulder and said, "Yoo, that sucks!" First of all, Kevin, sit down; your body spray is choking us all. Noxious fumes aside, Kevin does make you wonder how the hell he's getting paid more already. You went to the same school, have the same amount of experience, and got hired in the same week. What gives?