What Are the Causes & Effects of Gender Discrimination?

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Women have been vastly underrepresented in many industries for as long as anybody can remember. Much of this has been because of discrimination, which has led to many women looking to hire a gender discrimination lawyer to overcome the issue.



This has been especially true in areas such as Los Angeles, leading to a variety of West Coast Employment lawyers specializing in the niche. While many women may have felt some of the effects of the problem, they may often not know what the overall consequences of it are.



Alongside this, many people may not know what the causes of gender discrimination are. This is something that can be vital to overcoming the issue, as being informed about all areas of an issue can be the first step in getting rid of it.



While hiring a gender discrimination attorney may be a way to help overcome one particular case of the issue, it may not help with the overall problem. However, there are a variety of ways that we may be able to tackle the big picture.

Causes



One of the primary causes of the problem is how underrepresented women are in many industries. One of the more notable of these is that women have been underrepresented in many areas for a considerable amount of time.



As a result of this, many men who work in these industries may not hold progressive views about employment. This can be seen for a variety of groups, not just women, but it is something that affects them all equally.



Because of this lack of a progressive and open outlook, these male-dominated industries may have workplaces that are often negative toward women. There may also be a certain amount of tension and conflict in these areas because of a person's gender, which can create a significant amount of tension and a negative work environment.



This has meant that many women often leave a business or industry, which then feeds back into the status quo. This doesn't mean that discrimination solely exists in male-dominated sectors, however, as it can also happen in more diverse fields.

This is primarily when many upper management positions are filled by men. While not always the case, this can create an atmosphere where top management feels as though women are less than capable than their male counterparts to perform certain tasks.



While the workforce in a particular company or industry may seem as though it's equal and inclusive, this can depend significantly on the attitude in the business itself. 

Effects



While gender discrimination may not seem as though it's a major problem for some people, it can much more of an effect than many may have realized. Much of this will be seen on a personal level, although it can often have a company-wide, if not industry-wide, effect. 



This is because it can create a significant amount of tension and conflict within your workforce. Alongside this is the fact that, if an employee doesn't feel valued in their job, then they'll be less motivated to do their work. This is true regardless of their gender, although the majority of this discrimination will, unfortunately, only apply to women.



This will have a subsequent impact on productivity, which then means that a company could miss out on a large amount of revenue compared to when everyone is as productive as possible. Should a woman then decide to highlight these discriminatory practices, then this might have negative repercussions for them rather than helping them and the company.



This is because the practice can often result in many people, especially men, shifting attention away from daily tasks to the causes of this discrimination. This will then have a negative impact on the company as a whole. Much of this is seen through a lack of productivity, as well as the time and resources needed to identify and solve these issues.



Lastly is the fact that discrimination based on gender is illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This means that a company could face legal repercussions as a result of failing to act on any discrimination in their work.



In many cases, this could mean a variety of fines levied at the company, as well as mandates on how the company must change to overcome the issues that led to it in the first place. These fines can vary significantly depending on the level of negative behavior and how institutionalized it was.



Naturally, these are things that every company will want to avoid, which means that discrimination should be stamped out before it begins. Should a firm realize that this type of behavior is used within their workforce, then they should work to irradiate it as early as possible.

Solutions



While there aren't any one-size-fits-all approaches to tackling the issue, there are a variety of things that can be done that should have a positive effect. One of the more surprising of these may be to eliminate or reduce the amount of experience that's needed for positions. This will be especially beneficial for management and similar jobs.



This will primarily help with attracting women who took time out of the workforce to start a family. Should women who have done so wish to reenter the workforce, then they may not be able to achieve some of the same positions they may have before leaving their previous job.



Coupling this work gap with strict experience requirements means that many women may not be considered for roles that they may otherwise excel in. By reducing this experience, companies will be able to diversify many of their teams.



This should then have a domino effect on the rest of the workforce for several reasons. The most notable of these is that people are intrinsically attracted to companies where they see themselves better represented. This means that a business will be able to attract many more women than they previously could.



Many of these applicants will be just as qualified, if not more so, than their male counterparts. As a result, your company will not only see a larger talent pool to fill roles. The majority of these having all of the skills needed for the role, plus a few more skills that the business may be able to take advantage of.



It should also be noted that all of the above can apply to transgender people, who will identify as the opposite gender of what was assumed at birth. In many cases, they may also identify as 'non-binary.' This is where there isn't a clear male-female distinction, or they don't see themselves as either gender.



While this means that there may be more challenges to overcome to ensure a welcoming environment for them, being as inclusive as possible will help to do so. If in doubt, it's recommended that you ask them how they want to be referred to and act accordingly.



Should you experience gender discrimination in any workplace, then it's recommended that you hire a gender discrimination attorney. This is because they can be well-versed in navigating the many legal hurdles that you may face as a result of the problem.



There are several West Coast employment lawyers who will be able to help you with your case. Should you believe that you were unfairly treated at work or didn't receive a promotion or job because of you're a woman, then you should consult with a gender discrimination lawyer.



Nobody should be unfairly treated because of their gender, regardless of whether it's at work or in the wider world. Therefore the issue needs to be tackled.