A Shockingly High Number of Americans Think Women Still Face Discrimination

Maggie Parker
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A whopping 75 percent of Americans think discrimination is still an issue that many women face today, according to a new poll. (Photo: Stocksy)

We already knew that women were still facing discrimination in the workplace and in politics, but we didn’t know it was this bad. A whopping 75 percent of Americans think discrimination is still an issue that many women face today, according to a new poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll was inspired by the role gender has played in Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Of course, men are more inclined to believe Clinton’s gender has actually benefited her campaign, whereas women are more likely to say it has been a barrier, according to the survey. That said, 75 percent of those polled say women and men are equally good at being political leaders. However, 53 percent think women have fewer opportunities in politics than men.

It seems we’re on the right path, however, with 75 percent of participants believing that discrimination against women has decreased over the past 25 years or so. Too bad it hasn’t simply disappeared. Just 4 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women and the workplace is perceived as an uneven playing field for women, according to the survey. More than half of Americans think women have fewer opportunities for job advancement, and 6 in 10 say they are at a disadvantage when it comes to salaries.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to us, as equal pay continues to be a huge talking point in all industries. But if you need more convincing, almost half of the women surveyed say they have experienced at least some type of job-related discrimination (getting a job, receiving equal pay or being promoted at work) because of their gender. Only 3 in 10 men report having been discriminated against in some way at work because of their gender.

We’re hoping the upcoming election will improve things, but most Americans aren’t so optimistic: Even if the first female president is elected, 6 in 10 do not expect a Clinton administration to have any effect on the level of discrimination against women.

Sorry to be a buzzkill.

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