The Persistence Of Sexual Discrimination In The Workplace

Abstract

Measured by an increasing labor force participation rate for women, a falling dissimilarity index for occupational sex segregation, and a declining male/female earnings gap, there has been increasing integration of women into the workforce in the U.S. over the last fifty years. This increased diversity should lead to increased productivity, thus inducing profit-maximizing firms to encourage it. However, sexual segregation has persisted for so long that it must be beneficial for the capitalist system as a whole. By keeping women separate and subservient with lower wages than men, firms exploit sexual discrimination and are able to maintain higher profits.