In 1920, 144 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, women in the United States were given the right to vote. Ninety years later, gender equality is still discussed and debated. When it comes to whether things are fine between men and women, the nation is split - just over half of Americans (52 percent) disagree that things are fine between the genders while 43% say things are fine. But men and women have a different take on the situation with over half of men (55%) believing things are fine compared to just one-third (32%) of women who say the same.
Even more Americans (63%) agree that the U.S. still has a long way to go to reach complete gender quality. While three-quarters of women (74%) agree with this, so do just over half of men (52%).
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and 21, 2010 by Harris Interactive.
Whether the issue of gender equality should be addressed is another question in these times with so many other pressing issues. Three-quarters of U.S. adults (74%) agree that they do not think gender equality is perfect, but there are more pressing issues to fix first. And men and women are in agreement on this (74% of men agree as do 75% of women).
Women and Work
One of the discrepancies the Equal Rights Amendment was hoping to correct was inequality in the workplace among men and women. But seven in ten Americans (69%) say that women often do not receive the same pay as men for doing exactly the same job. Three in five U.S. adults (62%) agree that women are often discriminated against in being promoted for supervisory and executive jobs. Women are much more likely than men to agree with this but almost half of men also agree with both sentiments. Four in five women (80%) agree that women often do not receive the same pay for the same job compared to 58% of men, and 75% of women agree women are discriminated against in their promotions compared to 48% of men.
Half of Americans (50%) say women often receive lower pensions or pay more on annuities than men doing the same work while 23% disagree with this and 27% are not at all sure. And it's not just with pay that there are issues. More Americans believe women often have much more trouble than men in getting credit, bank loans and mortgages (42% agree with this while 36% disagree) and that women are often discriminated in the insurance rates they pay (38% agree; 33% disagree).
But it isn't all bad. Over half of Americans (52%) say most employers are willing make the conditions of work flexible enough to help women with families who want to go to work. Again, there is a gender difference here as three in five men (60%) agree with this compared to less than half of women (46%).
So What?
In 90 years, many things have changed for women in this country. And some may argue things are better, but there is still the undercurrent that there are issues, especially when it comes to pay and employment, where things have not yet approached an equal footing with men. Women are sitting in more boardrooms and at the helms of more companies today, but there is a sense they are not yet getting paid the same as men in those positions. There is also a sense that something else may have been lost. Four in five Americans (81%) and four in five men and women (81% for both) say women today are treated with less chivalry than in the past. Can women have both equal pay and chivalry? Or can it be only or the other?
TABLE 1 GENDER EQUALITY TODAY
"On another subject, August of this year will mark the 90th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote in the United States. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements about gender equality in the United States today?"
Base: All adults
AGREE Strongly Somewhat DISAGREE
(NET) Agree Agree (NET)
% % % %
I don't think that
gender equality is
perfect in the
United States, but
there are more
important issues
to fix first. 74 36 38 21
The U.S. still has
a long way to go
to reach complete
gender equality. 63 30 34 32
Things are fine the
way they are
between men and
women. 43 13 30 52
Somewhat Strongly Not at
all
Disagree Disagree sure
% % %
I don't think that
gender equality is
perfect in the
United States, but
there are more
important issues
to fix first. 14 7 5
The U.S. still has
a long way to go
to reach complete
gender equality. 21 11 5
Things are fine the
way they are
between men and
women. 33 19 5
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 2
GENDER EQUALITY TODAY
"On another subject, August of this year will mark the 90th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote in the United States. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements about gender equality in the United States today?"
Percent saying "Strongly Agree" or "Somewhat Agree"
Base: All adults
Total Generation
Echo Gen. X Baby Matures
Boomers (34-45) Boomers (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % %
I don't think that
gender equality is
perfect in the
United States, but
there are more
important issues
to fix first. 74 75 78 75 67
The U.S. still has
a long way to go
to reach complete
gender equality. 63 62 55 66 71
Things are fine the
way they are
between men and
women. 43 45 49 39 42
Gender Political Party
Male Female Rep. Dem. Ind.
% % % % %
I don't think that
gender equality is
perfect in the
United States, but
there are more
important issues
to fix first. 74 75 76 71 77
The U.S. still has
a long way to go
to reach complete
gender equality. 52 74 51 77 59
Things are fine the
way they are
between men and
women. 55 32 53 33 47
TABLE 3
WOMEN AND EQUAL TREATMENT
"Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements"
Base: All adults
AGREE Strongly Somewhat DISAGREE
(NET) Agree Agree (NET)
% % % %
Women today are
treated with less
chivalry than in
the past 81 36 45 10
Women often do not
receive the same
pay as men for
doing exactly the
same job 69 35 34 22
Women are often
discriminated
against in being
promoted for
supervisory and
executive jobs 62 23 38 27
Most employers are
willing to make
the conditions of
work flexible
enough to help
women with
families who want
to go to work 52 11 42 35
Women often
receive lower
pensions or pay
more on annuities
than men doing
the same work 50 22 28 23
Women often have
much more trouble
than men in
getting credit,
bank loans and
mortgages 42 15 27 36
Women are often
discriminated
against in the
insurance rates
they pay 38 15 23 33
Women receive the
same pay as men
for doing
comparable jobs
with similar
skill and
training 35 11 24 56
Somewhat Strongly Not at
all
Disagree Disagree sure
% % %
Women today are
treated with less
chivalry than in
the past 7 3 9
Women often do not
receive the same
pay as men for
doing exactly the
same job 15 6 9
Women are often
discriminated
against in being
promoted for
supervisory and
executive jobs 21 7 11
Most employers are
willing to make
the conditions of
work flexible
enough to help
women with
families who want
to go to work 25 10 13
Women often
receive lower
pensions or pay
more on annuities
than men doing
the same work 16 7 27
Women often have
much more trouble
than men in
getting credit,
bank loans and
mortgages 24 12 21
Women are often
discriminated
against in the
insurance rates
they pay 22 11 29
Women receive the
same pay as men
for doing
comparable jobs
with similar
skill and
training 35 21 9
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
TABLE 4
WOMEN AND EQUAL TREATMENT
"Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements"
Percent saying "Strongly Agree" or "Somewhat Agree"
Base: All adults
Total Generation Gender
Echo Gen. X Baby Matures Male Female
Boomers (34-45) Boomers (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % % % %
Women today
are
treated
with less
chivalry
than in
the past 81 78 81 83 81 81 81
Women often
do not
receive
the same
pay as men
for doing
exactly
the same
job 69 66 64 72 76 58 80
Women are
often
discriminated
against in
being
promoted
for
supervisory
and
executive
jobs 62 58 55 64 72 48 75
Most
employers
are
willing to
make the
conditions
of work
flexible
enough to
help women
with
families
who want
to go to
work 52 50 58 51 54 60 46
Women often
receive
lower
pensions
or pay
more on
annuities
than men
doing the
same work 50 46 42 54 56 42 58
Women often
have much
more
trouble
than men
in getting
credit,
bank loans
and
mortgages 42 28 32 49 63 33 51
Women are
often
discriminated
against in
the
insurance
rates they
pay 38 31 34 41 49 29 46
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Women
receive
the same
pay as men
for doing
comparable
jobs with
similar
skill and
training 35 36 43 32 32 46 25
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