It’s an unfortunate truth, but people do still experience gender discrimination in the United States. Gender discrimination could be discrimination against a woman, man or someone who presents as a woman or man. It may also involve those of other genders, such as those who are nonbinary or genderfluid.
In a workplace, you should be respected for who you are regardless of how you present or identify. Unfortunately, gender discrimination may exist in several forms in the workplace, such as:
- Receiving unequal pay or benefits
- Facing inappropriate comments about your appearance or gender
- Reaching a “glass ceiling” in the workplace
- Being stereotyped
- Dealing with double standards
- Facing sexual harassment
- Being asked to wear revealing clothing or an unusual dress code compared to others in the workplace
Many times, gender discrimination in the workplace will come in the form of microaggressions, like making comments about someone’s appearance or stereotyping them by how they look and present themselves. For example, if Jaime is transgender and a coworker suggests that she can no longer perform “men’s” tasks because she looks too girly, then that would be not only rude but also discriminatory.
Those who are discriminated against in the workplace have options
If you’re discriminated against at work, you do have options for resolving these problems. You may want to look into talking to your employer or human resources department first if the problem is with your clients, coworkers or supervisors. If you’re having an issue directly with the employer, you may want to talk to them, but you could also look into your legal rights first. Knowing where you stand by law could give you more support for your complaints and be the push that an employer needs to take action.
If you are terminated because you report discrimination in your workplace, you may be able to pursue a wrongful termination claim alongside a gender discrimination complaint. You have a right to work in a welcoming and professional environment. If you have been mistreated just because of your gender or the way you present yourself, then you deserve an opportunity to seek fair compensation.