Men and Women Lifetime Earnings

When it comes to men and women's lifetime earnings, the Social Security Administration, State the following, "there are substantial differences in lifetime earnings by educational attainment' and gender. 

"Men with bachelor's degrees earn approximately $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with bachelor's degrees earn $630,000 more. Men with graduate degrees earn $1.5 million more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with graduate degrees earn $1.1 million more." What can we as women and parents make of this? In America, higher education is costly and once you go through the process, the impact of getting paid less because you are a women is in effect.

Race and ethnicity is another benefactor that intersects with women's earnings from white men's earnings. 

This young men who have graduated are 61%-77% more likely to earn more than I will even after also receiving a degree. 

Feminization of Poverty

Women are put in a category of feminine poverty where economic tendency shows that women are more likely than men to live in poverty due to the gendered gap in wages, the higher proportion of single mothers compared to single fathers most single families are specifically women, and the increase in cost childcare. This is definitely me, however, I am extraordinarily resourceful, that I refuse to be a statistic and I choose instead to beat all odds. With this in mind and of course with God walking by my side, anything is possible. As a student mother, I do struggle with a lot more, especially people, professionals, telling me I can't do it, I should just take a 'W' one professor actually told me that, as long as we don't listen to them or believe those beliefs people think about, we have a chance to beat the odds. I do know older women who were in the same predicament that I am in, and they are in powerful positions now, and their kids are good kids, none of which society speaks about has to be true for you if you are in the same predicament! In addition, we can't be successful without the help of others, I have countless help from so many people at my community and I am so gracious that I have been blessed to have incredible people that want to provide support and guidance when we don't know what we are doing. 

Looking Positive with the U.S Department of Labor, Women's Bureau

The women's Bureau has outlined three major strategies to create equity between the sexes in the workforce. They are working on improving workplace practices and supports, promote greater access to and preparation for better jobs for women, promote fair compensation and equal pay, and balance work and home life for women. The good news is that the Women's Bureau directs their focus to help women prepare for, participate and advance in and retain non-traditional, high-growth, and higher-paying jobs. Educating workers on their rights and employers on their legal obligations to ensure fair compensation is another way to empower women. The workforce is designed in a patriarchal  structure, juggling work and home life can be challenging for women. Law Professor and legal scholar Joan Williams argues it is vital now more than ever to "deconstruct the ideal worker norm" and rethink the divide between unpaid work and work in the workplace. This is where I know I will need to advocate for my daughter and I as a single parent when I begin working. 

Age Discrimination in the Work place

Last year, my mother who is 60 years of age, had to acclimate to job search after 26 years working for Sam's club.  It was a difficult process as only one can imagine, not being in the interview phase for almost three decades. I guided her with coaching on what to say, how to say it, to smile etc. It was very uncomfortable for her to start all over and research for possible job openings. Our main concern during this time was the age discrimination, the wage gap between men and women increasing with age. One effect of corporate downsizing is the increased number of older, more experienced workers being laid off. Many times, experienced workers means they are too expensive for corporations to keep them. For women over 40, age can complicate securing a job. Women over 40 typically earn even less than the average of the wage disparity between men and women, and if they are returning to the workforce after an absence, they often return to lower paying or part time jobs. This is my beautiful and hardworking mother when we would go visit her at Sam's club, because she literally gave a quarter of her life to the corporation, and if I wanted to spend time with her, I would need to go to her work to visit her.