Women have always had to fight to have a seat at the table. With many professions deemed as male dominated, women often find it harder to find their place in the workforce.

According to Zippa.com only 35-percent of women hold senior learning positions. Which leaves 65-percent of those positions to men, even though women make up over half of the workforce in America. 

Tyler Gibbs, a freshman criminal justice student, believes that the equality of how women are treated in the workforce is not right and that women are stronger than men. 

“Society views men as stronger than women and then deem them as more qualified,” Gibbs said. “I do not agree with this. Women deserve higher positions because most people are more likely to listen to a woman than a man.” 

Although there is a disconnect between women in power and the respect they are given, there are many influential women that many look up to. 

Some well known women in powerful leadership positions students look up to include Vice President Kamala Harris or women in the music and entertainment industry, such as Beyoncè

Marcus Gillespie, a freshman industrial engineering student says he looks up to Oprah, Issa Rae, and Kamala Harris because he sees them as self made and role models of true hustle.

“They achieved all they have without having to compromise any part of who they are,” Gillespie said. 

Gibbs explains that she looks up to Sheila Johnson, BETs co-founder and the first female Black billionaire in America. She knows that if one Black woman can work towards being a billionaire in life, so can she.

According to Pew Research Center womens’ income makes up 82-percent of what men make, making their wages significantly lower. Women and men can work the same job, have the same degree and work experience but that would not matter when it comes to pay. 

During World War 2, many women partook in different types of jobs in order to compensate for the men in war. Since then, women have been introduced to better jobs and better positions. 

Ariel Willcox, a freshman mechanical engineering student, says more women in the workforce will create a more positive work environment for everyone overall

“Women play a big part in introducing soft skills in the work place like cooperation and empathy, which are becoming more and more valuable,” Willcox said.

Along with the typical “9 to 5” working day for many women, there is also becoming a huge disconnect with women working in sports. 

In the NBA, a rookie’s minimum salary is $898,310 and can make up to $27,285,00 in just six years. Compared to an WNBA player’s rookie salary starts at $41,965 and they can make only $115,000 in the same six years. 

Gillespie believes that working in sports should not be based on sex or gender, but by a general love and passion for the sport. 

“I am a fan of women’s sports. They are just as qualified as their male counterparts,” said Gillespie. 

Women in the workforce will forever take the space needed to be seen in the workforce. This will open the door for the new generation of women in high positions.  

The obstacles that women face are largely societal and cultural. From the time they enter kindergarten—instilling in very young girls a belief they are less innately talented han their male peers and persist into their work lives. In order to dismantle these barriers, it is going to be imperative that we all examine our own biases and stereotypes against one another and create an equal opportunity world for us all.