INEQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

IN THE UNITED STATES

Gender and Race as Socially Constructed

Race:

 Weare all homo sapiens. There are no

separate races. We all belong to the
human race.

 Black,as a racial category, is not

salient in all societies.
Gender:

 Gender and sex are closely connected in

some societies, but not all, and not in all
historical periods.

 Gender is constructed from birth:

Gender markers
Gender displays
Doing gender
Race and Gender Inequality

 Median Income

 Income Gap

 Unemployment Rate
SEGREGATION
 Women and minorities are
segregated into certain areas
of the economy and certain
jobs
Public vs. Private Sectors
. Blacks and other minorities tend
to be concentrated in the public,
vs. private, sector where there are
more rigidly enforced rules for
equal treatment.
Industry segregation
 Women and racial minorities remain
concentrated in the clerical and service sector
where wages are low.

 For instance, women occupy about 60% of all

service sector jobs. Almost 80% of all waiters
are women.
Occupational Segregation
 Jobs are segregated by gender and
race.

 Women and blacks occupy positions

that draw from, and maintain, racial
and gender stereotypes.  
 “Gendered” Occupations

 Women tend to be drawn to, and are seen as

desirable for, jobs that are characterized in
ways that correspond with expectations for
what it is to be a woman:

 For example, teaching, nursing, social work,

which are predominantly female, are
associated with "expressivity," "nurturing,"
"interpersonal relations.”
 Women Occupy Over Half of All
Managerial Positions in the U.S. Today

 But they tend to be concentrated in certain

areas of business:

. Line (Sales, Financial) Men

. Staff (Human Relations,

Public Relations) Women
 Sales, Finance (Line) Associated With Male
Characteristics/Qualities

. Assertive, Rational, Instrumental

. Seen as Related to Bottom Line Valued More

 Public Relations, Human Relations (Staff)

Associated With Female Characteristics/Qualities

. Expressive, Interactive, Sensitive

. Not Seen as Directly Related to Valued Less
Bottom Line
 “Racialized” Occupations
 African Americans in the workplace have been
drawn to, and seen as attractive for, "racialized"
areas of organizations such as personnel,
affirmative action -- where they are hired
specifically to deal with issues of inequality or a
black customer base.

 Areas are more vulnerable to cuts and are not

valued as highly as other areas.

-- Sharon Collins
Leadership
Women and Minorities in the U.S. are at a
disadvantage:

Two key reasons:

. Positions in organizations and career paths

do not generally lead to the top.

. Characteristics of leadership are not those

associated with female characteristics.
Consequences
Individual:

. Higher rates of poverty among some groups

. Low self-esteem
. Do not develop to full potential

Work Organization:

. Deprived of human capital (limited labor pool)

. Loss of human potential (ascribing certain
characteristics to certain groups)