Gender inequality is one of the most significant problems in the workplaces where employers keep a blind assumption that men are better than women in general.
How gender inequality affects freelancing?
A few very fundamental viewpoints that employers think about while hiring is that women will not be able to work for more hours, a married woman would not give her complete devotion to the projects she works on, she might eventually drop out due to her family.
There is this pre-set notion that women don’t have the same work efficiency as men. A married woman with children would not be able to give her best to the company she works for even if she works hard.
When a woman thinks to step into the world with this mindset, it becomes harder for her to achieve the set goals. It should be considered that if women are doing so well in the cooperate market while dealing with gender-based discrimination, their performance will go off the charts if they were to be treated like men.
Is freelancing free of gender-based discrimination?
One might think that there would be an advantage of invisibility in the online freelance business, but women face discrimination in this field as well. Gender discrimination is mentally frustrating. Think about not being able to work to your full potential because of the pre-set notions of people.
The freelance community in India is male dominant with four-fifths of the freelancers are men. There are 80% men and 20% women. Men charge more than women do. With an average of ₹120 ($2) more than women.
Is the economy getting affected?
The online workforce is increasing rapidly as each second passes. Freelancing is another term for self-employment. Now since a majority of the unemployed sector belongs to women. Gender inequality regarding hiring affects the economy and hinders its growth.
There is an advantage given to men when it comes to the topic of pay in any sector, and there is also an advantage in the chances of getting hired. The freelance market is increasing rapidly, and its economic growth is commendable but if women are hired at a higher rate and if they are treated like equals the economic growth will increase drastically.
Women degrade themselves, and they put up charges that are lesser than men. If an employer sees the low rate, he would automatically assume that the particular person is inexperienced. This turns out to cause loss of opportunities in most of the cases for women. The clients are harsh towards the women in the business. They are hesitant to accept their ideas.
Even though we have reached the age of feminism and gender equality, the responsibility of maintaining the family falls upon females. So there is a possibility that women intentionally enter low prices for lighter job duties. Family pressure could cause this.
Not able to touch the stars?
Gender inequality is everywhere, whether it is the household or workplace, and it affects women quite severely. Work Society considers women as the underdogs which affect the freelance market in a lot of negative ways.
Just like biodiversity is essential for the survival of natural species, diversity in the workforce is naturally essential. Freelancing is the single market where teenagers and adults can work together which indirectly can improve the country’s economic state.
Now when gender discrimination comes to play, it adversely affects some aspects of the freelance community. Women have a different upbringing than men, whether it is India or the US. It denotes that they would bring a different level of individuality and uniqueness to the system.
How can we improve the situation at a personal level?
Women need to learn to negotiate their prices or pay with pride. They should realize their work is worth every penny they earn. Their gender does not determine their work.
Being a woman does not specify the numbers on your paycheck. And there is only one way to overcome this pay gap; it is by having confidence in your work.
