Myth #7 - Underrepresentation of minorities
and women in the corporate world (or other
high-paying jobs) is not due to discrimination.
Reality: Discrimination is not the sole
reason for the lack of women and minorities in the
corporate world. However, we must deal with history;
we must deal with past and present discrimination. A
study of the 1982 Stanford MBA graduating class
found that after 10 years, 16 percent of men held
CEO titles compared to 2 percent of the women, 23
percent of males were corporate vice presidents,
compared to 10 percent of women, while 15 percent of
men served as directors, compared to 8 percent of
women. Obviously barriers to employment and
promotion still exist for women and minorities.
Affirmative action opens the doors to opportunity
and advancement.
Myth #8 - The pay difference between men and
women is not due to discrimination.
Reality: A 1989 report by the national
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences
confirmed earlier research by the National Academy
of Sciences in 1981 that found that one-half to
one-fourth of the earning differential between men
and women could not be explained by legitimate
difference in education, training, experience and
characteristics of jobs. A study by Professor Peter
Hammerschmidt in the Management Institute of Eckerd
College, St. Petersburg, Florida, found that female
managers were paid on average $11, 447 less than
male managers, even when the women had identical
levels of experience, skill, job titles, education
and age.
Myth #9 - Women benefit more than
African-Americans from affirmative action.
Reality: Both women and minorities benefit
from access to full educational and workplace
opportunities to redress past discrimination. To pit
these groups against each other is wrong.
Affirmative action programs give needed
opportunities for both women and minorities.