Impacts of Language on Gender Inequality in the Labor Market

Presenter

Aeddon Evans-Reese

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Ray Kinoshita Mann, Department of Architecture, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C25, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

One of the most significant trends in the labor market over the past century has been the convergence of the roles of men and women in the workplace. Discrepancies across participation rate, wages, and occupational distribution have shrunk significantly over this period, yet there remain gendered inequalities in labor market outcomes, compounded by factors of race, class, and language that contribute to distinct outcomes. This paper investigates the role that language plays in maintaining these systematic inequalities through an examination of the manner in which linguistic factors shape and inform gender norms. This critical examination investigates both the labor market, where gender discrepancies manifest, and the household, where the gendering of attitudes and valuations of work first occurs. I will draw on research in economics, sociology, and linguistics, including analyses of quantitative data to establish a clear picture of the current and historical issues at the intersection of language, gender, and labor. Logical argumentation will then be used to explain the role of language in the perpetuation of inequality. As a student of economics, I believe strongly in identifying and combating economic inequalities such as those across gender lines. As a student of linguistics, I believe that a clearer understanding of the role of language can be a powerful tool in narrowing the gap between labor market outcomes for men and women. While understanding this role alone cannot holistically solve issues of historical and social inequality, it can be used to contest cultural conceptions of gender that drive such inequities. 

Keywords

Gender Inequality, Labor Market, Language, Sociolinguistics, Economics

Research Area

Linguistics and Language Studies

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