Gender Bias: The Class Your Students Didn’t Sign Up For

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Article Summary

  • According to one study, students heard or witnessed discrimination, harassment or aggression towards females or minorities. |Despite the fact that women account for more than half of college graduates, they make less money than men. |Recent female graduates felt 13% less confident than male graduates about finding a good-paying job after graduating. |There are several actionable steps instructors can take to empower female and minority students on campus and beyond.
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When the topic of gender discrimination arises, most people assume we’re talking about females because, more often than not, we are. Unfortunately, today’s college campuses are anything but immune. According to a recent study, nearly 1 in 3 (31%) have felt discriminated against at their institution.. Additionally, within the college demographic, studies show that the more male-dominated a major is, the more likely a woman is to experience discrimination inside the classroom—and it’s majorly impacting the career choices female students are making.

It doesn’t stop on campus, either. Forty-two percent of women attest to experiencing gender discrimination in the workplace, with an alarming portion being treated as incompetent based on their gender. Even with a master’s degree, females typically receive less support from senior leaders when compared to their male counterparts.

Female pay—it doesn’t make cents

Despite the fact that women account for more than half of college graduates, they make less money than men. For every dollar a white, non-Latino man will make, a white woman will earn 80 cents, an African American woman, 63 cents, a Native American woman, 57 cents and a Latina woman, 54 cents. As a result, women don’t feel the same level of job opportunity as men—with recent female graduates feeling 13 percentage points less confident than male graduates that they’ll find a good-paying job within a year.

Don’t get discouraged, take action

While the data is troubling, there are several actionable steps instructors can take to empower female and minority students on campus and beyond. To learn more about how gender discrimination could be hindering your lady learners and how you can help even the playing field, explore our ebook.