Report: Bloomington gender equality in workforce could use large improvement

In 2001, Indiana received a report card evaluating the status of women in the state that would put the Hoosier heartland on academic probation. Indiana's grade point average calculated out to 1.4, barely above failure, and included a grade of D- in employment and earnings and an F in reproductive rights, according to The Status of Women in Indiana Report.\nIn response, Bloomington's Commission on the Status of Women, a group working for the city which explores local women's issues and concerns, began work on a report of its own. Two of the five sections of the commission's report were released Wednesday which analyze the status of women as employees and civic participants. \n"One of the commission's functions is to analyze and publicize women's concerns in Bloomington, and that's what this report does," said Craig Brenner, the city's special projects coordinator. \nThe report took two years to create, said Jillian Kinzie, the chair of the commission and main author of the report. Other sections involving issues such as reproductive rights will be released as more data become available. Both released sections found Bloomington to be ahead of Indiana as a whole in terms of the status of women, but showed a lot of room for improvement, Kinzie said. \nThe section on employment, found both the government and employers need to work harder for wage equality, citing that men earn an average of $8,000 more per year than women.\n"First of all, we wanted to raise awareness," Kinzie said.\n"Secondly, (the report is) for employers to take a look at their own books for the reasons behind wage differences; the report is not to indite, it is to raise questions about why the differences exist."\nShe added that one way to change the disparity is governmental oversight and encouragement.\n"(The government) could provide encouragement for employers to look at the disparity," Kinzie said. "Those who look at their wage practices should be rewarded and recognized by the government, not punished."\nFive times more women than men receive governmental aid as the heads of their households, the report said, calling for citywide improvement.\n"Employers can help with child care credits; it's a huge burden for any single working parent," Kinzie said. "... Also making sure the system is fair; that women have the same benefits and opportunities to advance through education. There are parts of the welfare policy that don't support women advancing."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Mike Wilson at mhwilson@indiana.edu.