When isolated, these historical facts may seem trivial or even funny, but when paired with the hundreds of other examples of gendered expectations and stereotypes changing, it becomes clear that—contrary to common belief—there is no such thing as a hobby or skillset that one gender is inherently better at. In reality, the things that are considered either masculine or feminine are viewed the way they are because of socio-political misogyny. By analyzing the current treatment of “feminine” stereotypes, the degradation of “feminine skills,” and society’s overall disdain for any hobby or skillset an individual woman has, it is clear that skills are only considered valuable based on their dissociation from women.

The Irony of Feminine Interests

In and of themselves, stereotypical feminine interests—makeup, pumpkin spice lattes, the Pride and Prejudice movie—are generally accepted by and as mainstream culture. However, once a woman actually likes any of the above, both the interest and the woman are ridiculed. This scrutiny can be seen every time a male comedian makes a career off mocking women for fitting these stereotypes, or in every eye-roll a girl receives when mentioning an interest in these subjects. Iliza Shlesinger [3] pointed out the irony of men who rampaged through India and Southeast Asia for a taste of cinnamon mocking women for their occasional Instagram post featuring a pumpkin spice latte. This irony can be found every time a man is praised for keeping up his appearance and is called “well-groomed”; meanwhile, if a woman is caught putting effort into maintaining the flawless appearance expected of her, then she is vain.

While not as ironic, another double standard appears when men revere The Godfather and the film is immediately regarded as a cinematic masterpiece, but when women praise Pride and Prejudice, it is dismissed as a stupid “chick flick.” Society expects women to have feminine interests, but once they actually do, they are shamed. There is no inherent issue with effeminate things; they only become a problem when they are embraced by women.

The Reality of Feminine Skills

On the flip side, women are both allowed and expected to have what have been deemed feminine skills. Cooking, a sense of style, teaching—but these skills are considered fundamentally less skilled and important by society. This perception changes, however, when a man shows interest in these fields. For instance, the burden of cooking falls disproportionately on women because it is considered a natural feminine skill, yet men make up 94% of Michelin-star chefs [4]. Although fashion and physical appearance are considered natural feminine interests, men hold 86% of leadership positions within major fashion companies [5]. Even though teaching is considered a feminine job, men constitute 56% of college professors [6].

These dissonant facts prove that once separated from women, these skills become redeemed in society’s eyes and become high-paying and well-respected industries. The worth of these skills is not determined by their actual complexities or their impact, but rather by who is performing them.

The Trap of Femininity vs. Masculinity

Even though women will not get recognition through feminine interests or skills, they will receive an equal amount of mockery when engaging with ​“masculine” interests and skills. If a woman likes to play video games, she will be accused of doing so for male attention. And she may even be harassed out of the gaming community [7]. A woman who plays sports will not simply be called an athlete, but rather, “too aggressive” and “unladylike” [8]. A woman who engages with high fantasy literature or comic books will be dismissed with the assumption that her interest is based on attraction to a male character. And likewise, she may be harassed out of a fandom [9].

On the other hand, men’s interests are always presumed to stem from a place of genuine passion and talent. By embracing femininity, women are subjected to mockery. By embracing masculinity, women are ostracized; either way, this is a system in which women are designed to lose. Society created femininity and then ridiculed it and the women who participate in it. But  society betrays women who do not participate in it. This begs the question of whether it is femininity that society dislikes or if it is just women.

How to Win

When passions and talent are judged not by merit but by the subject, the real reward is not working for the praise you will never receive but allowing yourself authenticity. In a system that will judge a woman whether they conform to the system or rebel against it, then the only solution is to ignore the inevitable judgment of others and make yourself who you want to be. A world that will not validate you is not a world that should be allowed to control you.

Works Cited

Janik, Erika. “The Masculine Origins of Cheerleading.” WPR, 7 Sept. 2016, www.wpr.org/history/masculine-origins-cheerleading.

Little, Becky. “When Computer Coding Was a “Woman’s” Job | HISTORY.” HISTORY, Sept. 2017, www.history.com/articles/coding-used-to-be-a-womans-job-so-it-was-paid-less-and-undervalued. 

Wikipedia Contributors. “Iliza Shlesinger.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliza_Shlesinger. 

Staff, Chef’s Pencil. “Share of Female-Led Michelin Restaurants Is Only 6%.” Chef’s Pencil, 20 July 2022, www.chefspencil.com/female-chefs-6-percent-reach-the-top/. 

Guest Contributor. “Women Are Finally Leading Global Brands. So Why Is Fashion Still Failing Them?” FashionUnited, 2025, fashionunited.ca/news/people/women-are-finally-leading-global-brands-so-why-is-fashion-still-failing-them/2025100742019.  

KLACZYNSKA, MIRIAM. “Gender Demographic Disparities between Teachers and Professors.” Berkeley.edu, 27 Apr. 2024, econreview.studentorg.berkeley.edu/gender-demographic-disparities-between-teachers-and-professors/. 

Fishman, Andrew. “Women in Gaming: A Difficult Intersection.” Psychology Today, 2022, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/202201/women-in-gaming-a-difficult-intersection 

Women’s Sports Foundation. “Do You Know the Factors Influencing Girls’ Participation in Sports? – Women’s Sports Foundation.” Women’s Sports Foundation, Women’s Sports Foundation, 2024, www.womenssportsfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/ 

Juliet Kahn. “Why Women in Comics Don’t “Just Report” Sexual Harassment.” Comics Alliance, 23 Sept. 2014, web.archive.org/web/20141210174642/comicsalliance.com/sexual-harassment-women-comics-games-fear-way-of-life/?trackback=tsmclip

The post Gendered Stereotypes and Women’s Place in Them: Simplified appeared first on GirlSpring.

Disclaimer

Before beginning, I want to emphasize that this is not meant to serve as either a discouragement or encouragement for marriage, nor to judge marriage entirely as an institution. In the United States, marriage has made significant strides toward equality. Nevertheless, statistical evidence shows that there is still work to be done before full equality is achieved.

Historical Marriages

Marriage is one of the oldest practices in human history, with its earliest surviving record of marriage is approximately 4,375 years old, dating back to 2350 B.C. Mesopotamia. Across thousands of years and countless societies, it is impossible to fully cover the history of marriage. Because I am focusing on marriage in the United States, I will be primarily referencing marital practices in Western Europe over the past 500 years due to its direct affect on modern American marriage. 

Due to Hollywood and the patriarchal rewriting of history, when imagining historical marriages, many assume that it was between a young powerless girl and her all powerful older husband. While recognizing that marriage was used for hundreds of years to suppress women both legally and socially, the fact of the matter is that general marital practices in history weren’t what Hollywood has made them out to be.

Common Misconceptions

First of all, marriage was a private affair between two consenting individuals that involved neither the law, the church, nor parents until the mid-16th century [3]. Two individuals simply needed to agree that they were married, and then they were. Likewise, once they agreed that they were no longer married, they were no longer married. For much of history, marriage was not always the rigid, state-controlled institution that many assume it was. 

Second, during the pre-Industrial Revolution, the average age of marriage for both parties – especially amongst commoners – was typically in the mid-twenties [4]. In fact, between 1500 and 1800 in urban areas, many women didn’t marry until their thirties or even their forties [5]. In the majority of cases, marriage was, as it is now, between two adults. 

Third, the idea of the “traditional wife,” a woman who manages the children and household – basically never existed outside of the 1950s in North America. For most of history, a family was either nobility or peasants. Noble women did not raise their children and certainly did not clean up after anyone—they had servants for that work. In peasant families, every single member of the household worked. Women labored alongside men on farms, in domestic production, and later in factories, making economic dependence the exception rather than the rule.

These misconceptions are rampant but are based on a morsel of reality. Among the nobility, marriage did occur at alarmingly young ages, but these unions were based on power rather then affection. Marriages could be arranged before an individual was born and the of the marriage consummation wouldn’t happen until the late teens or early twenties. After a few children, couples would remained legally married while fulfilling emotional needs with extra martial affairs. This type of marriage applied to roughly 0.5% of the population, yet it has become the standard modern ideal of historical marriage. 

On a side note, if you want to know what people of the past would have actually thought of Game of Thrones–type marriages, look at how they reacted to Lady Margaret Beaufort [6].

Trigger warning:

The following paragraph discuss inequality, sexual assault, and abuse. If you don’t want to wish to read about those subjects, please scroll to the paragraph after. 

Disturbing Facts

Now knowing the reality of historical marriages, its time to see the realities of modern marriages. Although modern marriage has undeniably progressed in terms of legal equality compared to even fifty years ago. In the 1870s, Alabama and Massachusetts made domestic abuse illegal but it wasn’t defined nor prosecuted across all fifty states until the mid 1970s [7]. It wasn’t until l993 that material rape was recognized and made illegal in all fifty states [8]. It wasn’t until 2010 that all fifty states adopted no-fault divorce [9]. Today, under the law, women can divorce their spouses for any reason, and it is illegal for their spouses to assault or abuse them. Despite these laws, 51.1% of all perpetrators of assault committed against women are their intimate partners [10], and one in three murdered women is killed by their husbands, with 1,683 confirmed victims a year.

Modern Marriages

Unfortunately, marital inequalities do not end there. For example: the motherhood penalty. The motherhood penalty is a measurable form of employment and earnings discrimination faced by women who have children. Married women are also affected by this penalty due to the assumption that they will eventually become mothers. In contrast, men experience a “fatherhood bonus,” in which marriage and parenthood increase their earnings and employment opportunities [11].

These inequalities are also reflected in the home. Despite increasing wages and employment, women still are the primary homemakers. When a woman gets married, she will spend an extra three hours a week – 165 extra hours a year -on housework compared to her husband, who will receive three extra hours of leisure [12]. Regardless of either patterns employment status, women also spend more time on childcare [13] and provide more emotional labor in relationships and marriages via emotional comfort, regulation, guidance, and organizing and planning daily tasks [14]. These invisible hours and burdens may be lesser then in decades past, but their continuous existence within marriages remains detrimental to women’s happiness and both emotional and physical health. 

The Potential of Marriage

Marriage, in its simplest form, is a wholesome testament to love. Its history, though messy and at times problematic, reflects its sweet nature despite the misconceptions surrounding it. Today, marriage is nearly as legally equitable as it has ever been. However, by overlooking its current issues and focusing only on the fantasy we hold about historical marriages, we are prohibiting marriage from reaching true full legal, economic, and social equality.

Citations:

1. Cambridge University Architecture Department
   Dyble, Mark. Dr. Mark Dyble | Staff. University of Cambridge Department of Architecture, https://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/staff/dr-mark-dyble. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

2. Cambridge University Story Page
   “Monogamy League Table.” Cambridge University, https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/monogamy-league-table. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

3. JSTOR Book Source
   (Assuming this is a book or chapter — since the stable link is given but not the title on the URL, include as below with placeholder title if you want to refine further with author/title.)
   Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book or Chapter. Publisher, Year. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt3fj1mn. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

4. Archive.org — The World We Have Lost
   Clark, Peter. The World We Have Lost: England Before the Industrial Age. Penguin Books, 1994, p. 99. Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/TheWorldWeHaveLost/page/n99/mode/2up. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

5. Archive.org — The Marriage History Book
   Coon, Carleton S. The Story of Human Marriage: Its Basis and Development. Harvard University Press, 1954. Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/marriagehistoryh0000coon/page/n5/mode/2up. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

6. Wikipedia — Lady Margaret Beaufort
   “Lady Margaret Beaufort.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 31 Jan. 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Margaret_Beaufort. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

7. National Women’s History Alliance Timeline
   “Detailed Timeline of the Women’s Rights Movement.” National Women’s History Alliance, https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/resources/womens-rights-movement/detailed-timeline/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

8. Psychology Today Article
   Reynolds, Emma. “Marital Rape Is Criminalized — Not Upheld.” Psychology Today, March 2022, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-games/202203/marital-rape-is-criminalized-not-upheld. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

9. CNN Article
   Hall, Louise. “No-Fault Divorce Explained: History and Wellness.” CNN, 27 Nov. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/27/us/no-fault-divorce-explained-history-wellness-cec. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

10. RAINN Statistics Page
    “Statistics: Perpetrators of Sexual Violence.” RAINN, https://rainn.org/facts-statistics-the-scope-of-the-problem/statistics-perpetrators-of-sexual-violence/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

11. Demography Journal Article — Duke University Press
    Author Last Name, First Name, and Second Author First Last. “The Accumulation of Economic Disadvantage: The …” Demography, vol. 59, no. 4, 2022, pp. 1377–??. Duke University Press, https://read.dukeupress.edu/demography/article/59/4/1377/315802/The-Accumulation-of-Economic-Disadvantage-The. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

12. NPR Article
    Cohen, Patricia. “Pew: Earnings, Gender Wage Gap, Housework, Chores, Child Care.” NPR, 13 Apr. 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/04/13/1168961388/pew-earnings-gender-wage-gap-housework-chores-child-care. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

13. U.S. News Health News Article
    Author Last Name, First Name. “Gender Reveals Data Shows Disparities in Child Care Roles.” U.S. News & World Report, 11 May 2023, https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-05-11/gender-reveals-data-shows-disparities-in-child-care-roles. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

14. BBC Worklife Article
    Smith, Rebecca. “The Hidden Load: How Thinking of Everything Holds Mums Back.” BBC Worklife, 18 May 2021, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210518-the-hidden-load-how-thinking-of-everything-holds-mums-back. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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Boys are four times as likely to have autism compared to girls. They are three times as likely to have ADHD compared to girls. Boys are nearly three times as likely to have a learning disorder—such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia—compared to girls.

Autism studies have a male-to-female ratio of 8:1 [1]. ADHD studies of a male-to-female ratio of 9:1 [2]. Studies on learning disorders have a male-to-female ratio of 3:2 [3].

That first paragraph makes more sense now, doesn’t it?

When teachers, counselors, and therapists are diagnosing an individual as neurodivergent, they look for specific characteristics and qualities based on studies of the possible diagnosis. However, when studies have a super-majority of male test subjects, the super-majority of diagnoses will be male. When mis- or undiagnosed, women and girls may go their whole lives without the understanding or support they need—simply because their neurological disorder doesn’t present itself in the same way it does in men. Now, to understand the influence gender has on neurodivergency, one must know what neurodivergency actually is, how it appears in girls versus boys, and the effect that undiagnosing has on women.

What is Neurodivergence?

According to the Cleveland Clinic [4], “The term ‘neurodivergent’ describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. That means they have different strengths and challenges from people whose brains don’t have those differences. The possible differences include medical disorders, learning disabilities, and other conditions.”

Historically, neurodivergent individuals have been ostracized by society and, in some cases, sent to insane asylums with very poor conditions and treatment. People with atypical brain functions were believed to be insane and even dangerous. Although today there is more acceptance of these divergences, many of these outdated beliefs remain deeply ingrained in modern culture and cause bullying, isolation, and harassment targeted at neurodivergent people. The fact of the matter is that neurodivergent people are not dangerous nor insane—their brains simply work a little differently than what is considered standard. Medicine, trauma, or any situation does not cause their brains to function differently; neurodivergence is genetic, just as having black hair or brown eyes is.

Masking

Before we get into the next section, we need clarification on what masking is. The Oxford Review has an article on masking that I encourage you to read. Still, the basic definition they give is: “Masking, in the context of neurodiversity, refers to the act of suppressing or camouflaging natural behaviors, thoughts, or responses in order to conform to neurotypical social expectations… Masking can involve mimicking social cues, forcing eye contact, hiding stimming behaviors, rehearsing conversations, or pretending to understand things when they don’t. It is often subconscious and habitual, particularly when someone has been masking for many years.”

Female vs. Male Neurodivergence

When people think of autism, they often think of a child or adult who cannot understand social cues for the life of them and is obsessed with trains, science fiction, or history. If someone thinks of ADHD, they often picture a person who is constantly energetic, loud, and impulsive. Or if people think of learning disabilities, they typically think of a person who has difficulty with speech, gets bad grades, and has trouble socializing. Although some of these stereotypes may apply to a few girls, they are, by and large, male neurodivergent traits.

Because of the severe understudying of the female divergent brain, it is actually unknown how these divergences appear in women. Additionally, even when they do emerge in women, they are less likely to show these traits because women are infamously good at masking. From a young age, girls can conceal their differences compared to their male peers.

Societal Expectations

While scientists speculate that something in the female brain makes women exceptional at masking, I believe society does this. Women have learned that the labels placed upon them are character attacks with lasting effects. Their male peers will “outgrow” their quirks. Think about it… when a boy cannot get social cues, he is a dork, a quirky trait. When a girl can’t, she is weird and awkward, a judgment about who she is. When a boy is energetic and loud, he is rambunctious, active, and spirited. Meanwhile, if a girl is, she is difficult and not ladylike– a failure to meet the feminine ideal. When a boy is struggling in school, he is just having a hard time and needs support. When a girl is, it clearly means she is just a pretty face, and school was never meant for her– a verdict on her intelligence. This imbalance teaches girls that mistakes and differences reflect their worth, so they hide them. It teaches boys that behavior is behavior, not identity.

Growing up with these differences, it is clear why girls are better at masking. Masking became a survival mechanism to get through every aspect of life when adults do not give girls the understanding or the support that boys have. Additionally, girls will start to show their divergences in ways that aren’t recognized, which is why “girls aren’t as prone to neurodivergence.”

The Consequences

A misdiagnosis or lack of diagnosis can have serious consequences, and women take the brunt of that fallout. At best, it means being misunderstood, dismissed, or ostracized by peers and even family members. At worst, it can mean being denied the medical or therapeutic support you genuinely need, falling behind in school or work, and developing additional mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Being a suspected or confirmed neurodivergent girl is brutal, but the situation is not hopeless. The best thing you can do is advocate for yourself. Professionals and others will brush you off, ignore you, and underestimate you more than expected. Stand your ground and keep making noise until someone actually listens.

Educate yourself about yourself and find communities who will understand and support you. Most importantly, make sure you get the understanding, support, and treatment you deserve.

Citations

1. MIT News – Autism Study
   Sample, Ian. “Studies of Autism Tend to Exclude Women, Researchers Find.” MIT News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
2. ADHD in Girls and Boys Study
   ADHD in Girls and Boys – Gender Differences in Co-Existing Symptoms and Executive Function Measures. National Library of Medicine.
3. Gender Differences in Special Educational Needs Identification
   Daniel, Lucy. “Gender Differences in Special Educational Needs Identification.” Review of Education, vol. 11, no. 3, 2023, Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3464.
4. Cleveland Clinic – Neurodivergent Definition
   “Neurodivergent.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/23154-neurodivergent. Accessed [your access date].

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No one can discredit how far we’ve come, but segregation is no longer about separation. It looks like access and language. It looks like privilege disguised as merit. The walls have simply become more polite.

The Opportunistic Segregation

Meritocracy: the world’s favourite preach. A comforting idea that effort is the sole determinant of success. But beneath that optimism lies a quiet truth: not everyone begins from the same starting line. Opportunity is distributed unevenly, shaped by geography, wealth, and inheritance.

Children born in affluent neighborhoods with picturesque families have the world at their fingertips. They grow up with the resources to live the dreams they were allowed to dream. The ladder of success is built on a tilted stage, so many have to put in extreme effort to even get on the same standing ground that others had the privilege of being born on.

Technology mimics this, as, like most things, it is a result of our creation. Once held as the great equalizer, the digital world also possesses the same hierarchies it was made to dissolve. Algorithms are constantly learning what we do, thus adapting and mimicking them, and that also applies to our biases.

Algorithms are then reinforced by our interaction with them, allowing us to align with certain languages or faces favorably. Social media creates echo chambers that filter out opposing views; artificial intelligence misreads darker skin tones or flags marginalized speech as “harmful.” Perhaps one of humanity’s biggest juxtapositions is that what was made to unite has instead created an invisible divide.

The Barriers

Language proves to be a big barrier, not through the words themselves, but in what is said and how it is said. The way someone speaks, the accent they carry, or the dialect they choose can dictate how seriously others take them. What we deem appropriate or “professional” is a notion conceived through the previously privileged, educated, and historically dominant Western society.

Even in an age of global media, society sees certain stories as universal while labeling others “niche.” The world claims to celebrate diversity, but whose culture gets to represent modernity? Whose aesthetic dominates amongst others? Even through inclusion, minorities and women tend to remain in the background while others are the centerpiece.

Feminism and the world share a long history, much of it horrid, but ultimately successful. Women navigate workplaces that reward their competence but resist their authority. The narrative of progress sometimes forgets intersectionality: a woman’s experience is not universal but is shaped by race, class, sexuality, and geography. True equality cannot exist while society only sees certain kinds of women as symbols of empowerment. The workplace often sees women with families as less serious, preferring a cold, emotionless personality.

The Casual Divide

The streets echo stories of how you find who belongs and who doesn’t. Who defines what is a good or bad neighborhood? Gentrification often arrives cloaked as development, but for many, it is displacement disguised as progress. People walking the same streets live in different worlds.

Segregation does not limit itself to material situations. The need to belong often means silencing the parts of you that don’t fit the room you’re in. Code switching is a survival tactic, especially in professional settings. Inclusion, without true acceptance, breeds loneliness. The very existence of segregation forces people to feel that way almost instinctively.

Even empathy—the way we feel about people or situations—varies from person to person and is not based on personal choices. We learn to feel more for certain faces, certain tragedies, and certain accents on the news. The hierarchy of compassion mirrors the hierarchy of privilege. Diversity can exist in the room, but it may not be present in the conversation.

Believing the Unseen

When something isn’t there, we choose not to believe it. The consequences of this are tragic, allowing privilege to masquerade as fairness, bias to dress as taste, and exclusion to pose as order. When inequality hides behind civility, it becomes even harder to confront.

To fight something that doesn’t exist is a battle no one knows how to fight. Acknowledgment is just the first step, though. Understanding these differences allows people to at least voice their opinion without being overly judged. Segregation never left; it just evolved, so our methods of addressing and tackling it must evolve, too.

Click here to learn about mental health effects on minorities.

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What Statistics Say

According to USA Today, women make, on average, 85% of what their male counterparts earn for the same job. However, this average does not account for the difference in pay based on race, education, or job field. When these factors are taken into account, the gap quickly widens. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that White women make 73 cents to a dollar, Asian women 96 cents, Black women 64.6 cents, Latina women 58 cents, and Native American women only 52.4 cents to the dollar.

Surprisingly, Statista notes that the gap tends to widen, rather than shrink, as women attain higher educational degrees. Women with a high school diploma earn 21.4% less than men. Those with some college experience earn 22.2% less, while women with a bachelor’s degree earn 29.8% less. Women with a master’s or PhD earn 30.2% less than men with the same degree.

Furthermore, the American Academy of Art and Science states that jobs in the humanities pay women around 25% less than men. In STEM fields, women make about 22% less than their male counterparts, according to STEM Women. In corporate jobs such as finance and marketing, CNBC reports that women earn an average of 20% less than men.

These numbers demonstrate that the gender pay gap exists, but they do not explain WHY. The causes vary, but in incredibly simplified terms, the gender pay gap stems from discrimination, occupational segregation, and the impact of children and marriage.

Discrimination in the Workforce

According to Glassdoor, discrimination accounts for approximately 33% of the pay gap across all industries in the United States. Discrimination is what is known as the “unexplained” portion of the pay gap. It accounts for factors such as women’s résumés being rejected at an alarming rate, regardless of their expertise, women being offered lower starting salaries, and women receiving fewer promotions due to their work being undervalued.

Occupational Segregation

Occupational segregation is often used as a justification for women’s lower wages. Because women frequently enter “lower-paying jobs,” it makes sense that they are then paid less. This, however, ignores the fact that the jobs women commonly hold, such as teaching, social services, and administrative roles, are underpaid, not because they have less value, but because society undervalues women’s work. PayScale notes that when more women enter an industry, the overall salaries tend to decline rapidly. It also ignores the fact that male-dominated industries are unwelcoming, if not openly aggressive and hostile, to the women who dare to try to enter. For example, in the highly male-dominated field of medicine, Medical Economics reports that female doctors in the U.S. make an average of $110,000 less per year than male doctors.

Children and Marriage

Perhaps the most commonly cited factor is the impact of children and marriage. Married women who work full-time spend nearly 300 hours a year on household and caregiving duties, compared to 113 hours for married men, according to the New York Post. Women are expected to either juggle their jobs and children or abandon their careers entirely. While mothers and wives sideline or abandon their careers, fathers and husbands continue to receive promotions and salary increases. Gendered expectations and systemic misogyny cause these patterns. The U.S. economy and society function on the unpaid and often thankless labor of its women.

The gender pay gap is more than a statistic. It reflects outdated traditions, mass free labor, and the work that society values. Women’s salaries, careers, and opportunities are paying the price for every dollar lost to them. Closing the gap can’t come from hiring a few more female CEOs or a couple of raises. There needs to be a complete dismantling of a system that actively sabotages every woman’s career. Until society changes these structures, we aren’t just tolerating the pay gap; we are actively choosing it.

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A couple of weekends ago, I sat down and talked with my mom specifically about her job. A while back, I started a Women in Business Interview Series, and this year, I decided to kickstart it with one of the best in the game I know! No bias here! 

Who is Kari Wilbanks?

My mom, Kari Wilbanks, runs her own interior design firm and has for seventeen years. She is a designer that focuses mainly on new construction for homes. She earned her degree at the University of Alabama, but it was not the route she thought she was going when starting her college education. This has been very reassuring in my own college search to know that things do change, and it is okay to find your passions later on! Ultimately, she landed on interior design because it was the best combination of some of the things she loved: being creative, working with others, and process thinking. As a kid, finding new designs, whether it was just around her room or rearranging her mother’s things, was never uncommon for Wilbanks, and she credits this time to being steps that lead her to interior design for a living. 

Starting Kari Wilbanks Interior Design!

For the first seven years as an interior designer after internships here in Birmingham, Wilbanks was faced with a new challenge because of her husband’s relocation to Tampa. Fortunately, she was encouraged by those around her to take a leap of faith. Kari Wilbanks Interior Design was officially open for business!

While she enjoys being her own boss, Wilbanks recognizes that it is not the strategy for everyone. She loves the flexibility that managing yourself provides, especially when my sister and I were younger, it was very helpful to accommodate our schedules. When opening your own business, Wilbanks says it is very important to be a self-motivator. Being able to hold yourself accountable and encouraged to work is the key to success.

At the beginning of a new business, the motivation is necessary because of additional work such as accounting that may not be able to be hired so soon. To those looking into entrepreneurship, Wilbanks notes to “not listen” to the fears that people may project onto you. She says to stay confident in your work, believe you can always get it done, and know that you can do a good job. Your work is solely yours so believing in your abilities is the first step towards being a successful entrepreneur.

Wilbanks’ Advice on Entrepreneurship!

Although confidence in yourself is necessary, Wilbanks advises to never discount the lessons that others can teach you. She suggests finding a role model in your field that inspires you to be just as successful and provide a “footprint” for your work. Interning for interior design really puts into perspective the detail that the job revolves around. She says real-world experience shows the true nitty-gritty of the design field, especially if you are interested in the job’s route that deals with everyone else like builders, contractors, etc (what my mom does). 

Yes, Wilbanks agrees, interior design is fun, but she wants to make clear there is so much more to it than that. Wilbanks uses the analytical side directly with her creative mind in her work. Something many people do not realize is the large amounts of math involved in interior designing. There are many numbers to account for that will ultimately determine the beauty of your work and satisfaction of clients. 

Why Wilbanks’ Is An Inspiration!

By satisfying clients, Wilbanks finds a sense of empowerment. She is able to listen and deliver her clients wishes while knowing they trust her to perfectly execute something they want to spend the rest of their lives in. To Wilbanks, interior design is a collaboration. She strives to find the best fit for her clients while implementing her own expertise to make a home they truly love. In order to stand out in her field, Wilbanks knows authenticity is of utmost importance. She does not believe this is limited to just interior design; authenticity allows a connection to those you are working with and the best end result for all. 

I have felt so lucky to grow up with a mom who truly exemplifies these traits. She has taught my sister and I the same qualities that she applies to her job: staying confident in yourself and learning from others. Although I do not wish to follow in her footsteps, I truly admire my mom’s dedication to her job that has not faltered throughout my life. Remember that your passion may not be apparent at first, but it will come in time and self motivation will follow! IF you have any more questions, feel free to reach out to me, and I (or my mom) can answer! 

Check out Sherrod’s first Women in Business Series article on Cookie Fix’s, Amy Jason — here!

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Dalip Singh Saund: Indian American Congressman

Saund (1899-1973) is the first Sikh, Indian-American, and Asian American to serve in Congress. He was born in British-occupied India in Punjab. Despite their own lack of schooling, his family supported his education. He earned his bachelors’s in mathematics from the University of Punjab in Amritsar. His family sponsored his trip to California, where he continued his education the University of California at Berkeley.

Although he earned a master’s and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Berkeley, he could not find a suitable job. He faced this challenge because he was an immigrant, and the high-demand jobs were reserved for whites. So he farmed until he gained citizenship in 1949. As soon as he earned his citizenship status, he quickly gained interest in American politics, and in 1950, he was elected as local justice. Six years later, Saund proudly became a member of Congress. His hard work is a tribute to all Sikhs, Indians, and immigrants who had to work against all odds to be treated as equals to white citizens. 

Indra Nooyi: Indian American CEO

The Indian American CEO of PepsiCo, Inc was born on October 28, 1955 in Chennai, India. She studied chemistry at Madras Christian College in Chennai. Later, she earned a degree in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta. When she moved to America, she attended Yale University to earn a second master’s in public and private management. Upon graduating from Yale, she worked as a consultant for a few years. In 1994, she joined PepsiCo as the senior vice president. In 2001, she was crowned the fifth CEO of  PepsiCo, Inc, becoming the first woman of color and the first immigrant to head a Fortune 50 company.

Jerry Yang: Taiwanese American Co-Founder of Yahoo! And Tech Investor

Jerry Yang was born in Taipei, Taiwan on November 6, 1968 . Unfortunately, when he was just two years old, his father died. In hopes of getting support from her parents and extended family in the United States, his mother, an English professor, relocated her family to San Jose, California. Yang attended Stanford University, where he pursued a bachelor’s and master’s in electrical engineering.

During his graduate studies at Stanford, he met David Filo, his future business partner. The two enjoyed internet surfing in their spare time. However, they disliked the lack of organization on the web, as it was hard to find the site they were looking for. So the two men co-created a map for the internet called “Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web.” As it gained popularity, its founder named it YAHOO, a backronym for “Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle.” According to Famous Entrepreneurs, the boys created a “search engine by which people could find their desired website simply by typing in the right keyword.” Yahoo became highly successful and made Yang a very wealthy man. In 2012, Yang resigned from all his duties at Yahoo so that he could focus on his new project: AME Cloud Ventures. 

Tammy Duckworth: Thai American Army Veteran and U.S. Senator

Duckworth was born on March 12, 1968 in Bangkok, Thailand, and later relocated to Honolulu Hawaii. After attending the University of Hawaii for her bachelor’s and George Washington University for her masters, she served as a helicopter pilot during the Iraq War.  She was one of the few female pilots for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The brave US army veteran unfortunately lost two legs and some mobility in her right arm. She sustained these injuries when Iraqi insurgents fired a rocket propelled grenade into her lap while she was in the helicopter. This incident made her the first female double amputee from war and earned her a purple heart.

The disability did not stop Duckworth from serving the United States again in the Illinois Army National Guard for ten years. According to her campaign website, she is a champion for “working families, civil rights, environmental justice as well as all of our Veterans and military families” (tammyduckworth.com). Tammy felt displeased by America’s systemic faults that negatively impacted Veterans and military families. When she won her seat in the Senate, she focused on supporting programs and laws that help those serving in the military and their loved ones.  

Haing S. Ngor: Cambodian American Surgeon, Actor and Author

Ngor (1940-1996) was born in French Indochina and began training to be a surgeon and gynecologist at an early age. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Khmer Rouge. Upon capture, he denied being an educated doctor to avoid extreme assault or execution. His hands remained tied even when his wife and unborn child, in desperate need of medical assistance, died in labor. Despite hiding his intelligence, he endured four years of inhumane treatment. Fortunately, he was able to escape to a refugee camp in Thailand and later immigrate to the United States.

He could not continue practicing medicine in the United States, so he started writing about his experiences in the Cambodian genocide. He published a book titled Haing Ngor: A Cambodian Odyssey. His book caught Hollywood’s attention and a few years later, he was cast as Dith Pran, an Asian-American photojournalist capturing the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, in the Killing Fields. Despite having no acting experience, he performed well and won many awards for his role in the movie. He positively impacted the Asian-American community by being one of the few Asian-American actors, and for receiving amazing feedback for his works in movies. 

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Defying the odds, she went against the government and simply declared that she knew exactly what to do to lead the French to victory. What makes this so special? After many years and defeats for the French, a young, poor girl claims to have visions that God is urging her to undertake this role as their army coordinator.

Likewise, Disney’s Mulan’s story is quite similar when comparing the feminism aspect. The story of Mulan is quite simple. Her dad was needed in war but he would have surely died. She disguises herself as a man to bring her army to victory. Against all odds, they succeed with Mulan being one of their most powerful soldiers.

Growing up with movies that show women excelling in “man’s” jobs is crucial for young girls’ understanding and development. Without this early influence, many young girls can lose the idea that women are just as powerful and strong. Mulan is often overlooked because she is not necessarily a standard princess. However, she and Joan of Arc have such similar stories and influences. I think they both are just as important for girls to understand and analyze the positions Joan of Arc and Mulan were in.

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“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas

Fantasy books portray the best amount of female main energy. Feyre from the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series sums up a ‘strong woman’ to me. First, she provides for her family, protects them, and defeats a whole kingdom. That is pretty awesome.

Next to her is the famous Nesta who doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do or how to do it. This fearless woman has powers of fire, and I think that is a perfect aspect for her personality. Fire can create warmth but it is also very dangerous. Like a moth to flame as some would say, Nesta draws in more than moths and like her sister, Feyre, she wins a war and defeats a kingdom.

Mor and Amren are also no less than these two power-sisters. Amren scares people with her presence alone, and Mor who is nicknamed “The Morrigan.” You have to be some type of powerful to have a ‘the’ in your name.

The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros

Transferring Universes a little bit, if we head all the way to Basgiath College of Poromiel, we will not only find Violet Sorrengail, but also Rhiannon Mathias, and Imogen. All of these talented women have each been through the Basgiath war college. These women take no disrespect and they don’t give anyone the chance to even think about underestimating their abilities.

Violet, who defies all ‘laws’ that everyone says are true, still finds a way to beat every system she is put in. Imogen who is one of the strongest of her year not only helps violet become greater but is actually very caring underneath her protectiveness. Last but not least Rhiannon is a dark skin queen has been with Violet since day 1 at the college, and is Violet’s ride-or-die. She proves to everyone that she needs to be there and that she earned her spot. She ends up becoming a leader and earns great respect, while still being respectful to others. 

“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson

This book is a little on the modern side and it takes place on earth. Pip Fitz-Amobi, a high school student, dedicates her senior year to solving a murder, just to prove that the nicest person she knows innocent. Solving a murder is one thing, but she takes this case to heart, because the crime happened only a few years ago in her own town. She goes through various hardships while solving this fresh case such as death-threats and the loss of her dog. Still, she proceeds to persevere because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Even when her own life is in danger all she wants to do is help others.

Every day we all should strive to be like these extraordinary female characters. They’re fearless, strong, witty, sincere, and powerful. These women have all gone through their hardships, but they all made it out to the top, and so will you. 

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What is Feminism?

Feminism is a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that societies prioritize the male point of view, and that women are treated unfairly within those societies. Efforts to change that include fighting gender stereotypes, and seeking to establish educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to those for men.

What are Feminist Movements?

Feminist movements have campaigned and continue to campaign for women’s rights. This includes the right to vote, to hold public office, to work, to earn fair wages, equal pay and eliminate the gender pay gap. To own property, to receive education, to enter contracts, to have equal rights within marriage, and to have maternity leave. Feminists have also worked to ensure access to legal abortions and social integration, and to protect women and girls from rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. Changes in dress and acceptable physical activity have often been part of feminist movements.

Some scholars consider feminist campaigns to be the main force behind major historical, societal changes for women’s rights, particularly in the West, where they are near-universally credited with achieving women’s suffrage, gender-neutral language, reproductive rights for women, and the right to enter into contracts and own property. Although feminist advocacy is, and has been, mainly focused on women’s rights, some feminists, including bell hooks, argue for the inclusion of men’s liberation within its aims. This is because they believe that men are also harmed by traditional gender roles.

Numerous feminist movements and ideologies have developed over the years and represent different viewpoints and aims. Some forms of feminism have been criticized for taking into account only white, middle class, and college-educated perspectives. This criticism led to the creation of ethnically specific or multicultural forms of feminism, including black feminism and intersectional feminism. 

The Origin of Feminism

The words “féminisme”  and “féministe” first appeared in France and the Netherlands in 1872, Great Britain in the 1890s, and the United States in 1910. The Oxford English Dictionary lists 1852 as the year of the first appearance of “feminist” and 1895 for “feminism”. Depending on the historical moment, culture and country, feminists around the world have had different causes and goals. Most western feminist historians contend that all movements working to obtain women’s rights should be considered feminist movements, even when they did not apply the term to themselves. Other historians assert that the term should be limited to the modern feminist movement and its descendants. Those historians use the label “protofeminist” to describe earlier movements.

The Four Waves of Feminism

The history of the modern western feminist movement is divided into four “waves”. The first comprised of women’s suffrage movements of the 19th and early-20th centuries, promoting women’s right to vote. The second wave, the women’s liberation movement, began in the 1960s and campaigned for legal and social equality for women. In or around 1992, a third wave was identified, characterized by a focus on individuality and diversity. The fourth wave, from around 2012, used social media to combat sexual harassment, violence against women and rape culture; it is best known for the Me Too movement. The history of feminism is certainly a complicated one, that continues to form as our society grows.

Interested in learning more about the history of feminism, check out this article Different Waves of Feminism!

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