Dear future president,

Gender equality is a serious problem in our world today. Girls of all age and races across the world are affected by gender inequality. "On average, women continue to earn considerably less than men. In 2015, female full-time workers made only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 20 percent." (iwpr, 1) Considering that women and men do the same work, there is no reason that they should be payed less. I believe that gender equality in the workplace should be the priority of our future president. More specifically, the gender pay gap. We have come so far in our society and in improving equality yet, because of such a simple difference, we are divided and treated unequally.

Women and men should be treated equally in the workplace. One example of this is the gender pay gap. According to the International Labour Organization, “the gender pay gap ranges from 3 percent to 51 percent. Although, the worldwide average is 17 percent. Gender pay gaps should not exist anymore. Women who do the equivalent amount as their male coworkers should get paid the same amount.” (International Labour Organization, 1.) Gender pay gaps should not exist anymore. Women who do the equivalent amount as their male coworkers should get paid the same amount. This continues to be a problem all across the world. If a women wanted to make as much as her male co workers, she would have to work many days more than them. “According to the White House, full-time working women earn 77% of what their male counterparts earn. This means that women have to work approximately 60 extra days, or about three months, to earn what men did by the end of the previous year.” (Eileen Patten, 1.) In order to make as much as a man would make in a year, a women would have to work 60 extra days. If a woman truly wanted to make as much, she would have to give up 30 weekends. This is not fair. Those are a few ways that women are not treated equally in the workplace.

Most employers who are giving the paychecks don’t realize what they are doing. It is just in their nature to pay the men more as they may appear more professional or more “boss-like material.” We can’t say for sure why women are paid less. Some employers say that women apply for the jobs that pay less and men apply for the jobs that pay more. “Sorting?” Armchair apologist Chamberlain is saying women apply for jobs that pay less, and men apply for jobs that pay more.” (Nick Corcodilos, 1.) This shows that women aren’t really considered for the higher paying jobs. In result of women not being considered for the higher ranked jobs, they get payed less. And that causes the gender pay gap.

Make laws for not allowing employers to have a pay gap between their male and female workers. The global goal this is most connected to is goal number five, gender equality. By giving women equal pay, the US would be helping the UN to complete the goal of gender equality. This is important because in order to complete all the goals by 2030, every country that is part of the UN needs to contribute to the goals. This should be one the the top priorities for our president's agenda. It is very important to get equal pay for women. If a woman is doing the same job as her male coworkers and at the same quality, there is no reason that she should be paid less. There are a few contributing factors to the amount of pay one gets but gender should not be one of them.

Sincerely,

Emma Flemmer