Let’s Tell Our Daughters the Truth!
Take your daughter to work and be sure to tell her she will only make $.84 compared to your son!
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day – April 27, 2023
This Thursday is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. If true gender equity is your goal, then perhaps it’s time to tell our daughters the truth! The truth is that they will never make as much money as the boys in their class.
Equal Pay Day 2023 was March 14, marking the current state of the gender pay gap, which stands at 84% for full-time workers and 77% for all workers (including part-time and seasonal).
According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau information, “The average woman who works full time is paid on average just 84 percent of the typical man’s pay.” As the AAUW details, “The pay gap varies significantly among different communities, particularly for women of color, and other Equal Pay Days have been added to the calendar over the years to reflect that fact that many women must work far longer into the year to catch up to men.”
The impact of the gender pay gap is long-lasting and nearly impossible to recover from. As a result of lower lifetime earnings, women receive less Social Security and pensions and will take less money into retirement. This problem is compounded by the fact that women outlive men by 5.8 years on average, and require more money to carry them through retirement.
While you’re at it, it might be helpful to talk to your daughter about the microaggressions that she is likely to experience in the workplace. The 2018 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org found that 64% of women face microaggressions on a regular basis.
While you’re talking to your daughter, share the actions you are doing personally to support women in the workplace.
- Do you challenge microaggressions when they are committed against women and other under-represented groups?
- Do you advocate for women when they’re not in the room?
- Are you mentoring a woman or someone from an underrepresented group?
- Does your team have gender diversity?
- Are the women on your team paid equitably to their male counterparts?
Finally, fathers: Please take a few moments to reflect on the fact that corporate America will never value your daughter as much as they will value your son. If you think this is fair, then do nothing! But my belief is that fathers of daughters should be OUTRAGED! When there are systemic issues within organizations, and you and your male colleagues choose to do nothing, you need to be ashamed.
Men must make the connection that the way women are treated at work will not change unless they choose to do something about it. Change is a choice. Change takes action.
This Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day, why don’t you have a really frank conversation with your daughter and either tell her the truth (that you are PERSONALLY CHOOSING TO DO NOTHING) or tell her specifically what you’re doing to support women? Your daughter’s future depends on it!
Then, have conversations with other fathers and choose to do something about it. Here are 10 Actions for Advocates that you can choose to start taking immediately.
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