In gender discrimination, social class matters a Wonderful deal

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The Harvey Weinstein guilty verdict is a victory for the #MeToo movement. "Today is a powerful day & a huge step forward in our collective recovery," wrote the actress Rose McGowan on Twitter.

Still, sexism is pervasive in American civilization. About 40% of U.S. women say they've experienced sex discrimination on the job . Women's work is frequently undervalued and underpaid. And female job applicants are frequently subjected to extra scrutiny through the hiring process, and also have lower odds of landing the work they deserve.

We're scholars who research how states in the workplace may contribute to health inequities and gender discrimination.

Research proves that sexism takes a massive toll on women's health, however, girls work at a variety of jobs where hours, expectations and cultures vary widely. While the Weinstein verdict might admit the injustice of criminal sexual acts -- and by extension, admit the total #MeToo movement -- holding him to consideration required the efforts of more than 80 girls, multiple investigative journalists and significant resources to cover attorney's fees. For women with no these resources, successfully challenging sexism can be much more difficult.

Amount of schooling makes a difference
Our recently released study used 12 years of data in the General Social Survey, or GSS, to look into workplace discrimination at the U.S. -- and just as seriously, how that discrimination affects women's health and well-being.

Specifically, we wanted to know if women's levels of schooling influence whether they experienced sex discrimination at work. In the 1980s, the amount of women earning college degrees surpassed men. Since that time, women have obtained advanced levels at record rates. We believed if women's educational accomplishments altered their chances of encountering sexism at work. And because higher education normally opens the door to more fiscal and social resources, we wanted to understand whether increased schooling helps women manage the negative effects of discrimination.

Women with more education report more discrimination.
In the GSS, roughly 10 percent of girls reported gender discrimination within their existing job. Consistent with other research, women with higher levels of schooling reported higher degrees of discrimination. Among those with master's or doctoral degrees, it is almost 13%; for women that have less than a high school education it is 7%.

Why the difference? The most powerful reason: highly educated women working in high-paying, professional occupations are more likely to work alongside more guys.

Another reason: Girls with less education typically hold less prestigious jobs, which provide fewer opportunities for raises or promotions. Trapped on the"tacky floor" of low-wage retail or service work, these girls might not even have chances to collide with the glass ceiling. And they may recognize sexism less often simply because traditionally female traits -- affectionate or deferring to others, for instance -- are occasionally required of the job, anticipated or even taken for granted.

Just as crucial: The GSS data shows gender discrimination is a source of tension and illness. We discovered that women who perceive discrimination experience reduced self-reported levels of happiness, job satisfaction, sleep, emotional health and overall health.

Lower-educated girls may report significantly less discrimination, but it doesn't mean all is well together. Quite the contrary -- we found that girls in less-valued jobs actually demonstrate some of the most significant health injuries from discrimination.

On a certain level, that is reasonable. People who have more education commonly have greater resources for dealing with anxiety. Those tools include higher earnings, greater social support and better health insurance policy. Additionally, the data doesn't distinguish between degrees of discrimination. Women with less education may experience more intense or hostile forms of sexism, while women in better-paying occupations may face more inequality because of missed promotions or increases, for example.

Gender discrimination is unfair, illegal, bad for its economy along with a public health dilemma. It hurts everyone, but it's much more harmful for poor and working class girls. These findings must concern anyone interested in improving wellbeing, well-being and social justice. And really, should not that be all of us? merrickgarlandproject.com