Introduction
It is important to note that gender inequality is a deeply embedded phenomenon that stems from unequal access to resources, rights, and opportunities based on societal expectations from each gender. The assigned course readings and materials from this week raised many critical points for reflection and analysis, some of which make logical sense, whereas others invoke more questions. I agree that gender inequality is a result of exacerbating sexual differences between males and females, but my reflection reveals that the ‘elephant in the room’ of motherhood was not addressed sufficiently.
Discussion
Firstly, I am fully convinced that the vast majority of issues about gender are overinflated notions based on rather insignificant differences between sexes. For example, women are biologically and physically weaker than men by some margin, but it becomes exacerbated in society to conclude that women embody weakness. In other words, this difference is “amplified by social contexts that promote behaviors that are consistent with gendered stereotypes and expectations” (Giddens et al., 2021, p. 10). It is evident that the difference is so insignificant to the point where some women can be athletically stronger than men, and there is a vast difference in strength among men themselves. The latter does not become inflated into one category of men creating an exaggerated social context similar to the gender construct. Therefore, why does society not create the same level of stereotyping between young and old men since the former tend to be biologically stronger than the latter?
Secondly, however, I would like to debate that biological differences might be the contributing factor to gender inequality, such as the gender pay gap. My argument is that humans are sexually dimorphic creatures, which cannot be ignored fully. Evidence suggests that after age 65, men have “higher innate and pro-inflammatory activity and lower adaptive activity” (Marquez et al., 2020). In other words, sexual changes exist not only among the visible part of the human body, such as sex organs or musculoskeletal constituents, but in all other areas, such as immunity, psychology, physiology, and even biochemistry. The market is dictated by demand and supply forces, which is true in the labor market as well. A job that requires no experience, training, or unique skills is likely to be paid low compared to an occupation with the strictest of requirements. Men might have a small physical advantage, a slightly higher risk tolerance, and a little more drive to compete purely due to biology, which cumulatively creates a rather significant difference.
Thirdly, the burden of motherhood cannot be ignored when discussing gender inequity since sexual differences between men and women are ultimately and evolutionarily about procreation and reproduction. Breasts, sex organs, and hormones serve a reproductive purpose, and the most significant one is pregnancy and motherhood. The latter clearly should be addressed since it is invisible and unlimited work imposing a heavy burden on women (Hogenboom, 2022). From a purely biological perspective and gender constructs aside, a woman needs to spend nine months in pregnancy before she can become a parent. It can be considered as a clear biological difference unrelated to gender. Nine months is a long enough period for her male counterpart to gain more experience at work, make more connections, and focus on contributing to his employer to create a wage gap difference.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the point made in writing is that it might be better to dissect the implications of exaggerated gender constructs of society from real biological differences. It might be fairer to recognize that such inequalities unrelated to gender exist to properly address them. The current system does have some measures to ensure that women are not discriminated against due to their pregnancy, but it is important to advance it to ensure that the ‘invisible work’ of parenting by both men and women is economically rewarded.
References
Giddens, A., Duneier, M., Appelbaum, R. P., & Carr, D. (2021). Introduction to sociology (12th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
Hogenboom, M. (2022). The hidden load: How ‘thinking of everything’ holds mums back. BBC.
Marquez, E. J., Chung, C. H., Marches, R., Rossi, R. J., Nehar-Belaid, D., Eroglu, A., Mellert, D. J., Kuchel, G. A., Banchereau, J., & Ucar, D. (2020). Sexual-dimorphism in human immune system aging.Nature Communications, 11(751), 1-12.