Gender Pay Gap Analysis

How obtainable is the American dream? Ideally, the foundation of the American dream is built off the premise that as long an individual possesses a strong work ethic works they’ll be successful. However, this societal idea omits other components of life that influences how an individual acquires prosperity. The American dream is a myth that should be discarded because not everyone has an equitable chance at obtaining the American dream.
To begin with, racial discrimination limits the opportunities that enable people to achieve the American dream. According to Race, Place, and Opportunity, “This denial of homeownership to people of color and reinforcement of neighborhood segregation has had severe intergenerational effects on wealth accumulation. …show more content…
The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap acknowledges, “In 2016 women ages 20–24 were paid 96 percent of what men were paid, decreasing to 78–89 percent from age 25 to age 54. By the time workers reach 55–64 years old, women are paid only 74 percent of what men are paid” (Miller). As the wage gap between men and women lengthens, the further women are from success. Although, society has unanimously established that success can be achieved with hard work alone, women are unable to attain success with a strong work ethic alone because women are paid merely a fragment of what men are paid. The wage gap between men and women limit women from reaching the American dream, therefore the concept of the American dream needs to be abandoned because of the persisting discrimination against women. Additionally, according to The Narrowing, but Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay, “The gender gap in pay has narrowed since 1980, particularly among younger workers, but it still persists. In 2015, women earned 83% of what men earned, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time U.S. workers. Based on this estimate, it would take an extra 44 days of work for women to earn what men did in 2015” (Brown and Patten). No matter what qualifications or work ethic a woman has, a male with the same qualifications and work ethic would earn more than his female counterpart. This …show more content…
Teaching with Poverty in Mind states, “Children raised in poverty are much less likely to have these crucial needs met than their more affluent peers are and, as a result, are subject to some grave consequences. Deficits in these areas inhibit the production of new brain cells, alter the path of maturation, and rework the healthy neural circuitry in children's brains” (Jensen). Children who live in inadequate environments face detrimental effects that obstruct their potential of overcoming challenges that thwart their path to success. The consequences of poverty are deep-rooted, and often affects an individual’s development extensively into adulthood. Adults who’ve experienced poverty as children have a statistically lower chance of accomplishing the American dream because of the harmful effects of poverty, thus the American dream should be demolished since not every person has an equal upbringing. In addition, The Long-Term Consequences of Growing Up Poor declares, “children who were born to families at the top of the income structure have the highest probability of being in the highest income strata as adults, while those born at the bottom have the highest probability of being poor as adults” (Adelman and Wagmiller). Children who live in poverty-stricken homes often lack the resources to rise above the hardships that are so prominent in their lives. These

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