Examining the Impact of Gendered Language on Workplace Roles and the Gender Pay Gap

Public project summary

The persistent pay gap between men and women remains a significant issue, with predictions by UN Women that true pay equity will not be achieved until 2069. This disparity is a result of the underrepresentation of women in higher-paying, higher-profile positions and a reflection of societal values and the pervasive use of gendered language. The latter, defined as language that exhibits bias towards a particular sex or social gender, has been identified as a contributing factor to the pay gap and the ongoing disparity in workplace roles for women. This research project will examine existing data on the impact of gendered language on women in the workplace and develop a lesson for high school students enrolled in social justice courses. The lesson's goal is to increase awareness and facilitate discussions on ways to counteract the effects of gendered language on the pay gap and workplace roles. Pre and post-surveys will assess the effectiveness of the lesson and determine its potential for future use by other educators in the field.