Understanding The Impact Of Workplace Gender Discrimination On Your Health

Most working adults spend most of their waking hours in their workplaces, building social bonds while earning a fair wage. Given the long hours spent there, measures should be put in place to ensure that it is as safe and welcoming towards employees as far as possible.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Across the world, many people struggle with gender discrimination in the workplace. While many would perceive the negative consequences as being limited to financial or social stressors, workplace gender discrimination can also lead to extremely negative impacts on a person’s health. In this article, we share more on the different ways that facing workplace gender discrimination can cause you to have negative health effects.

Mental Health

Like all other stressors, the most direct impact is on a person’s mental health. Especially when exposed long-term day in and day out, this can lead to a person developing anxiety or other forms of psychological trauma. These can include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and even eating disorders. For some, this can even lead to suicide.

Women, in particular, are more prone to developing mental health conditions due to biological factors and gender inequality in society. This can be further exacerbated if gender discrimination in the workplace escalates to harassment or sexual assault.

Physical Illness

Other than mental health, workplace gender discrimination can also lead to increased physical illnesses. While there might be no direct causation, there have been studies that show a correlation between discrimination in the workplace and lower physical health. In particular, stress from various sources can lead to chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic pain.

Less Healthy Living Conditions

Workplace gender discrimination can also lead to financial and other material consequences. This is because gender discrimination can cause employers to be less likely to hire certain genders, have fewer opportunities for advancement, and possibly suffer other forms of discrimination, such as pregnancy discrimination.

Not having access to the opportunities and compensation you deserve can lead to stressors in your living conditions, such as not being able to afford healthcare, home improvements, and other necessities that improve one’s quality of life. In the long run, there is a high possibility of detrimental impacts on the health of the discriminated employee.

If you have been unfairly discriminated against on the basis of gender, the best way to secure fair and equal treatment is to stand up for your rights. On both state and federal levels, there are regulations in place to ensure that discrimination in the workplace does not occur to any affinity group. To better understand the compensation that you are entitled to, choosing to work with an experienced gender discrimination lawyer can ensure you build an airtight case and secure the compensation you deserve.