By Erin Daniels, The KNOW Women
Known as the gender wage gap, the difference in earnings between women and men has always existed, and still does today. This difference is usually calculated and compared between white men, the highest earners, and women of all races, as we see even more discrepancies in pay as we add more descriptors.
In 2022, women as a whole still earn only 82 cents for every dollar that a man earns. According to CAP, in 2018 Black women were making 62 cents to every dollar that White men earned, Hispanic or Latino women were making 54 cents, Asian women were making 90 cents, and American Indian and Alaskan Native women were making 56 cents.
Some of the causes of the gender wage gap are discrimination, years of experience, and the effects of occupational segregation, “the funneling of women and men into different types of industries and jobs based on gender norms and expectations.”
As a society, we must each actively work to eliminate the wage gap in our workspaces. Some ways we can work toward this are by unionizing workplaces, increasing pay transparency, increasing access to affordable child care, and disregarding salary history as a reference during new salary negotiations. Money Under 30 believes that while there is still much work to be done to close the gap, implementing these strategies will push us toward that goal, as well as create more favorable working environments all around.
We asked our dynamic KNOW women across North America about how they are negotiating pay and ensuring equality throughout their workplaces. Follow along on our four-part mini-series to see how these driven women are speaking up in male-dominated industries, approaching the wage gap, and continuing to progress in co-ed offices.
What are some things that you have done while working in a male-dominated industry to make sure your voice was not only heard, but valued?
Know your worth and earn respect. Work hard and be confident in yourself. Approach opportunities with strength and clarity, so that others value your thoughts.
-Alison Stine, Stine Wealth Management
NOT volunteering to be the note taker.Developing 1:1 relationships with peers and leaders – outside of the “board room” or team gatherings. Identifying opportunities to add value to the team and then leading the effort to execute (with leadership support).
–Elena Arecco Bridgmon, Epic Life Coaching | LUMO
I failed at this for years before I figured out how to stand out in a way that is authentic to me. I used to try to be loudest in the room and mimic what I saw others doing, but that didn’t work. It wasn’t until I developed and stuck to my own point of view, became a subject matter expert for areas that were of interest to me, found a mentor, and stopped trying to prove myself that I began to see the dynamic change. It comes down to leaning into your strengths and not stretching yourself too thin.
–Malorie Davalos, CompensationAlly
I out performed my co workers, learned skills no one wanted to learn, and showed up every day willing to do great work.
– Clarisse Ringwald, Clarisse Color Creations, LLC
Don’t let the “male dominated industry” mantra get all up in your head! In all things in life, it truly doesn’t matter what color, race, gender, or religion you are. What matters is YOU, what’s in your heart and soul, and what you feel called to do. If you want something bad enough, put your head down, ignore the chatter, do the work it takes to succeed … and freaking go for it! The work you do, who you are as a person, the service you provide others, and the difference you make in this world will speak volumes.
–Michelle Pierce, Creative Edge Interiors
My former position was in the field of sports and recreation and I managed many adult male leagues. You have to be able to talk the talk and put aside all the “that’s inappropriate aside”. I’m not talking about sexual harassment, I’m talking about becoming “one of the guys”. It was necessary to know sports talk and have them relate to you. For example, if they slipped with an “f” bomb, I let it go. I picked my battles by laying down the law.
–Gina Marie F. Sisbarro, Marco Office Supply
