Final answer:
The gender pay gap is influenced by unpaid household work, the 'motherhood penalty,' and sexist attitudes influencing lifelong earnings, with occupations occupied by women experiencing wage devaluation. Addressing gender stratification requires policy interventions and cultural changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gender pay gap is a multifaceted issue influenced by various factors, including societal norms, discrimination, and family responsibilities. Women globally, and particularly in the United States, tend to undertake a disproportionate amount of unpaid household work such as child care and chores, even when they are full-time earners. This disparity in unpaid labor contributes to fewer hours available for paid work and affects women's career progression and employment opportunities, further widening the gender pay gap.
Factors such as having children especially impact women, introducing a 'motherhood penalty' where mothers may face lower starting salaries and are less likely to be recommended for employment or promotion compared to childless women and men. Additionally, economic research has indicated that sexist attitudes where a woman was born can influence her earnings throughout her life, regardless of where she resides later. Jobs devaluation is another factor, as occupations with increasing female representation tend to see a relative decrease in wages.
Strategies to address gender stratification in the workplace range from policy interventions to cultural shifts, aiming to balance unpaid labor responsibilities and combat discrimination and gender stereotypes that hinder fair negotiation practices during hiring processes.