Value Of American Women

One word, two syllables, five letters with a strong meaning, value. Often misinterpreted as financial worth (cost, expense, profit), value instead defines as “the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something” (Merriam-Webster). “Modern” American society, for example, continues to disregard women’s potential and, instead, reiterates the ideal woman: perfect wife, perfect mother, perfect daughter, perfect employee, and perfect body via social media and national advertising campaigns. Why else would fill-in-the-blank car company place a scantily dressed model in a car ad? Truly valuing a person goes beyond setting unrealistic expectations, rather genuine value shows regard and significance worthy of respect instead of mere facades of perfection. At least in America women earn value by attaining the current …show more content…
As a columnist from the New York Times states “Women aren’t valued in society when they don’t bring commercial value to the table” (Kristoff 1). According to a recent PSA starring John Cena, women make up 51% of America’s population. Yet, in 1980 a woman earned 55 cents for every one dollar a man made we are now in 2017 and a woman earns 77 cents for every $1 a man makes (Human Resources MBA). After thirty seven years, only 22 cents changed for a woman and a man still earns his income as he did a hundred years ago. Maybe women aren’t pursuing in the same higher jobs as men? Wrong, New York Times columnist factually states “Men and women are paid differently not just when the do different jobs but when they do the same job” (Miller 1). Due to this, less women pursue in not only obtaining but maintaining a profitable professional position rather than a mere job. If nothing changes, society will continue to value women as commercial since even in one of the most advanced countries to ever exist, American women suffer by making less money, unlike other countries whose female don’t even have the right to