21st-century globalization impacts on gender inequality in the United States

Globalization’s impact on gender inequality in the 21st century in the USA and around the world has surfaced as a contentious issue. While some argue that globalization is beneficial, it is also claimed that not everyone is benefiting from globalization equally. In particular, females often do not benefit to the extent of their male counterparts. Contemporary globalizing forces such as the World Bank and the United Nations have worked to deconstruct the barriers of inequality and existing gender gaps. As a result, this article is focused on the 21st century economic transformation that has emerged through globalization as it has impacted not only global markets, but also, the overall landscape at an individual level. At the same time, there is a need to present the various struggles and existing realities of gender inequality in America’s workforce, which still finds itself on the path towards full equality.

Globalization has brought increased access to economic opportunities. Most of these opportunities have come as a result of trade openness and the spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This has led to an increase in women's access to economic opportunities and in some cases increased their wages relative to men's. More specifically, the World Bank claims, “trade openness and the diffusion of new information and technologies have translated into more jobs and stronger connections to markets for many women”. Increased access to information, primarily through television and the Internet, allows the general American public to learn about social mores in other places, which can change perceptions and promote the establishment of egalitarian attitudes. Instead, egalitarian attitudes are currently hindered by the existing reality of woman making up the majority of the low-wage workforce industry. More specifically, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in a recent report shows that “in 2010, women constituted 59 percent of the low-wage workforce”.

Globalizing organizations and institutions such as the United Nations, and the World Bank have worked to promote gender equality. The task has not been easy given the need to undo many institutionalized and systemic influences on gender equality. Thus, the ability to override these forms of oppression stems from spreading awareness. Globalizing institutions have used increased awareness to shed light issues of gender inequality, particularly in the work force. For example, “The Beijing + 5 process provides an opportunity to reflect on the impact of Globalization in determining further actions and initiatives for the full implementation of the Beijing commitments”. Furthermore, the ability to promote awareness is by default facilitated because, for example, in the nonagricultural sector, the total share percentage of women employed is at 48% from a 2012 report. Thus, when the gender binaries of male and female in the U.S constitute half of the entire workforce respectively, the females that receive unequal treatment have the ability to speak out against the cause with the understanding that a high proportion of the public backs them.

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