1. Women and Society: Higher Wages
By: Alexa Smith

2. Background Information
Women earn on average 80 cents for every dollar a man does doing the same job
Women with an associate’s degree earn a salary of around $43,000, while men earn $47,000 with just a high school diploma
Three-fourths of Americans who earn over $100,000 are men
The issue is still ignored today as many believe a woman chooses her own major or job in less lucrative fields
On average, women lose a total of over $900 billion each year due to the wage gap

3. The Wage Gap What is the cause?
Discrimination and bias are the main causes the wage gap exists
Women are often discriminated against in the workforce, as men with less experience get the job over a woman who has been in the field for years
This is due to society's view of women and the stereotype of women and their role in society
The wage gap for mothers is greater than for women overall
Mothers with full-time jobs are paid 71 cents for every dollar paid to fathers.

4. https://youtu.be/-_TcqNuQbeQ

5. The Sisters Of Mercy
The first House of Mercy was opened in 1827 for women
The Sisters of Mercy continue to work for women’s rights and support equal opportunities
This is through supporting women experiencing poverty, domestic violence, human trafficking and other social issues
They prioritize women’s education and advocate for equal pay regarding women in society

6. Works of Mercy To instruct the ignorant
All of us are called to understand our faith and what our church is teaching
Women and men must understand the importance of the wage gap issue and the inequality still faced in society today. The Sisters of Mercy face this issue through their public support for women and dedication to the Catholic church. If all women are educated, disregarding their economic status, we are preparing them to make an impact in the world. The Catholic Church teaches that we can face these issues when we follow our faith and listen to God

7. Pope Francis - Laudato Si
Integral Ecology-- Integral: whole Eco: study of the common home. We are a product of our environment. We also influence our environment; we influence nature and what happens in nature influences us.
In Laudato Si the Pope states, “The biblical accounts of creation invite us to see each human being as a subject who can never be reduced to the status of an object”. Integral ecology plays a role as it is the relationship between nature and the society which lives in it, which is linked to societal issues including the wage gap and women’s rights.

8. Pope Francis and the Wage Gap
Pope Francis states that it is a “pure scandal” that women do not earn as much as men for doing the same job. He speaks out about how the Catholic Church must give women greater decision making roles in the church. He calls for wage equity, relating it to the shared responsibility a husband and wife share.

9. Pope John Paul II Letter to Women
The Pope states that society is in an “urgent need to achieve real equality in every area” including equal pay for work. He explains how it is a matter of not only justice, but a necessity and references that in the Creation story, man and women are created to be complementary to each other, and share equal responsibility from the start.

10. My Viewpoint
We are all made in the image and likeness of God. Eve depended on Adam just as Adam depended on Eve. Man and woman were equal from the beginning, so why should this have to change and become an issue to our society? If men and women receive the same education and degree, then they should be given the same opportunities. Men and women who do the same job at the same level should be paid the same amount, as they are equal. Discrimination in the workplace only hinders a woman’s opportunity to achieve success. Practicing discrimination is unethical and wrong. Women should be presented with the same opportunities as men. While the wage gap has narrowed overtime and women have made great progress in achieving equality, the wage gap still exists, and will not disappear easily.

11. Resources and Outreach Opportunities
One solution to move towards equality is to raise the minimum wage. The National Women’s Law Center states that two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. By raising minimum wage, it will give women more pay and potentially more opportunities in the future to earn more.
The Equal Rights Amendment has been passed by many states to ensure women are treated equally in the workplace, but it has not been passed as a law. Passing the ERA as a law would protect every American’s right equally, which would be a big step towards getting rid of the wage gap.
Mercy Volunteer Corps is another resource which promotes social change by placing volunteers with those who are poor and marginalized. Mercy Volunteers “work in education, healthcare, and social services while living together in community and growing spiritually.”

12. Works Cited