Teaching About the Gender Pay Gap

Introduction

The Gender Pay Gap refers to the difference in earnings between women and men for the same work or work of equal value. It is a complex and global issue, deeply connected to both historical and structural inequalities. Despite progress toward gender equality, the gap persists across many industries and countries. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, it will take approximately 257 years (see p. 6) to close the global gender gap at the rate of progress between 2006 and 2020. This issue is not just about fairness but also affects economic growth and societal well-being. Educating students on the Gender Pay Gap helps them understand the factors that contribute to it, the impact it has on economies and individuals, and how they can contribute to achieving gender equality in the workplace and beyond. By exploring this topic, students can better grasp the realities of gender inequality and consider solutions for a more equitable future.

Resources

There are many resources available online for teaching students about the Gender Pay Gap. Many plans are designed with high school students in mind, but some approach the topic for younger students, even middle elementary grades.

Lesson Plans

1. Academy 4SC: Find videos related to the gender pay gap at Academy 4 SC, including an overview of the issue, the Equal Pay Act, and a relevant Supreme Court case, Ledbetter v. Goodyear. Teachers have access to resources like worksheets, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more included in each topic’s lesson plan.
2. Gender Allowance Gap – The Anti-Defamation League published this lesson plan designed for 3rd – 5th grade students, focusing on how the pay gap between male and female may start even in childhood, with the amount kids get from their families in allowance. This plan includes informative readings, discussion questions, a student survey, a persuasive writing task, and several extension activities.
3. The Gender Wage Gap – This lesson plan, also from the Anti-Defamation League, is designed for high school students. The plan begins with a series of statements that students either agree or disagree with, such as “Sexism is a thing of the past.” Students are presented with articles and graphs that demonstrate the pay gap, and then asked to evaluate proposals for how to improve the situation. The plan includes significant key terms, such as unconscious bias.
4. Equal Pay for Equal Work – Clio, an organization that produces history-related materials, has several plans focused on women’s history in the US. This plan focuses on post-WWII changes in opportunities for women, especially the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and its effects. The plan includes a video clip about efforts to promote equal pay, and a connection to the history of challenging sex discrimination in the US. Discussion questions and extension activity ideas complete the study.
5. Gender Pay Gap – C-SPAN Classroom offers this Bell-Ringer type activity designed for older students. The site links four brief videos of prominent women talking about the government’s understanding of, and efforts to improve, the Gender Pay Gap. Each clip has discussion questions connected with it. Additional linked resources provide context to the issue.

Articles

1. Gender Pay Gap Statistics – Forbes’ 2024 report details the most current data on the topic. The takeaway statistic is that women still earn 16% less than men on average. But the site provides a wider picture of the complexity of this situation. Some occupations have a much smaller gap, such as physical therapists and social workers. Others have a significantly larger gap, such as real estate, a field where men make 60% more than women.
2. It’s Equal Pay Day – The Gender Pay Gap has Hardly Budged in 20 Years. What Gives? – NPR’s Morning Edition featured this news bite in 2023 in connection with National Equal Pay Day. This observation was established to demonstrate how much longer a woman must work into the following year to earn the same amount that a man earned by the end of the previous year. In 2023, that date was March 14. The NPR article provides statistics and explanations for differing compensation between men and women.
3. The Equal Pay Act Passed Over 60 Years Ago. So, Why do Women Still Make Less than Men? – USA Today provides this brief overview of the current understanding (published in June of 2024) of several explanations why the pay gap persists. This sourced article, understandable by most students 5th grade and up, relates some expert explanations for the gap, including some that are more recent.

Informational Sites

1. The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap – Pew Research Center conducted a 2023 study to understand the progression of the pay gap in the wake of COVID-19. The report provides a wealth of statistical information on the pay gap. Despite women receiving more college degrees than men, the gap continues to exist at every age range. Findings include the detail that the gap increases when people reach the ages of 35-44, coinciding with the time when parents typically have children at home. 
2. Understanding the Gender Wage Gap – The US Department of Labor published this report in 2023, focusing on contributing causes. While some of the gap can be explained by differences in education, work history, and industry, 70 percent of the gap “cannot be attributed to measurable differences between workers.” The report mentions challenging points about pay – When women enter a particular occupation in larger numbers, the overall level of pay for that job tends to decrease.
3. What is the Gender Pay Gap, and Is it Real? – The Economic Policy Institute provides this highly detailed picture of the pay gap, with thorough explanations for differences between men and women in different fields. Includes many graphs and statistics that portray the complex picture of this situation. One major takeaway: “Gender discrimination doesn’t happen only in the pay-setting practices of employers… It can happen at every stage of a woman’s life, from steering her away from science and technology education to shouldering her with home responsibilities that impede her capacity to work the long hours of demanding professions.”

Additional Resources

1. Economic Inequality by Gender – This worldwide picture shows that women in most countries face a similar pay gap. Data from various places over a number of decades demonstrate that the pay gap has diminished over time almost everywhere, and yet it still exists almost everywhere. This report mentions additional aspects of the situation, such as the detail that women worldwide are significantly less likely to own land than men.
2. Everything You Need to Know about Pushing for Pay Equity – UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, submits this explainer for people wanting to understand the pay gap and promote more equality. This article is organized in a series of questions that lead the reader through an overview of the data (such as “Why is pay equity an urgent issue?”) and the steps they suggest be taken (What should be done?”). 

Videos

1. What do These Kids Understand that Your Boss Doesn’t? – This cute video can be shown to initiate a conversation on the pay gap. Pairs of kids do a simple task, and they are paid in candy. But the boys receive more than the girls. The kids’ reactions demonstrate the obvious unfairness of such a pay structure.
2. What People Miss About the Gender Wage Gap – Vos Media produced an interesting video that focuses mainly on one aspect of the wage gap – flexibility of schedule. The data show that fields where schedule flexibility exists have a lower wage gap.

Conclusion

Teaching about the Gender Pay Gap is essential because it affects individuals, families, and the overall economy. By understanding the root causes and the consequences of pay inequality, students will gain insight into the broader societal impacts of gender-based wage disparities. Educating young people on this issue is key to creating a more equitable future. Providing students with the opportunity to learn about the Gender Pay Gap empowers them to reflect on these inequalities and consider how they might contribute to closing the gap, helping to bring about a fairer and more just society for everyone.