Women over Wage

Description

Friends who went to school together at Toronto Metropolitan University meet for a dinner party to catch up and chat about their new careers (one friend is finishing his last year). Khijir, still a student in Human Resources, finds himself in an uncomfortable situation when he mentions how we live in an equal society for women, because women at his work make equal pay. Aishvini, an architect, explains how hard it has been for her to make the money that fellow men in her field make and how she faces further barriers in applying for jobs. Vanessa, an Environmental Occupational Health and Safety worker offers stats regarding the wage gap, yet agrees with Khijir that women are making a choice when they have children, so they must deal with the consequences. Niat, a nurse, talks about the history of male doctors having higher authority and respect within medical environments, and Naznin, a social worker explains the importance of listening and recognizing social conditioning when in dialogue. Sophia, a mother of two and a social worker, explains how unfair it is that so many women do all the domestic work, which is invisible, and unpaid labour. Upon further discussion, the group realizes that things are always more complex than they first appear and the need to explore deeper is critical for mutual understanding. Niat and Naznin offer advice on how to value each others’ ideas and perspectives, and together, they respectfully uncover new realizations about the issue of patriarchy and the wage gap.