The social work profession has always been powered by women. In fact, the discipline of social work itself was founded by a pioneering woman, Jane Addams, whose Chicago-based shelter for immigrants was the organization that birthed nationwide efforts to provide social support for disadvantaged people. Indeed, women can be proud of the contributions they have made to creating a safer, healthier, and more equal American society.
Despite their many contributions to the social work field, women social workers still face a host of issues related to bias and discrimination.
While progress has been made in recent years to close the gender gap in social work – largely thanks to the efforts of women social workers who have been at the front lines of efforts to advance their own place in the field – there is still a long way to go in achieving true equality within the profession. For this reason, women social workers have taken it upon themselves to create resources that can build alliances between professionals and strengthen the field overall.
Surveying the Issues for Women in Social Work
There have long been many branches of the social work field that aim to support women’s causes, such as reproductive rights, issues related to gender-based violence, sexual assault, harassment, and more. However, social workers may be distressed to learn that there continues to be gender-based inequality within the social work profession itself. These are primarily workplace related concerns, including pay disparities between genders, obstacles to obtaining leadership positions, and other issues related to gender and professional mobility.
Those who pay close attention to women’s causes will recognize that many of these issues can be found across professions. Indeed, according to a recent study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, women earned approximately $0.82 for every dollar men earned. This disparity worsened along racial lines: Black women earned only $0.63 for every dollar White men earned, while Hispanic or Latina women earned only $0.58 cents on the dollar. These numbers speak for themselves, reflecting a sobering reality about the gender and racial inequality that persists in workplaces nationwide.
Beyond pay, there are also significant obstacles for women to advance professionally in industries of all types. The same GAO report finds that while women comprised 44% of the American workforce, they comprised only 41% of managers in the social work field. Since higher-ranking positions tend to be associated with higher pay, this can be understood as part of the larger problem affecting women’s wages, as well as in some cases their job security.
Beyond issues directly related to pay, there are other significant challenges women can face in the workplace. This includes a lack of resources and other support systems for mothers and pregnant women, who often are forced to make significant compromises in the absence of quality maternity leave options and related programs to help support women’s healthcare. Accounting for this lack by building out stronger supportive policies in workplaces is a crucial step in leveling out this playing field to achieve true labor equality.
It may come as no surprise that those at the frontline of this fight have been women in the workforce themselves, who have long advocated for their own interests and made significant strides already in overcoming the tremendous obstacles they have faced in professional settings. One of the most important factors behind the gains that have been made so far has been solidarity among female laborers (with support from male allies) across industries, recognizing that these issues are present no matter what line of work someone is in. By participating in women-run initiatives for workplace equality, individuals of all backgrounds are helping to give all women-identified people more power and agency in their employment.
Numbers reported are taken from the GAO’s 2021 “Women in the Workplace” Report, accessed March 2024.
The Social Work Field Has Long Championed Women’s Rights
Though there are still significant strides to be made in advancing the cause of women’s equality in the social work field, social workers can be proud of their role in advancing women’s causes over the course of the last century.
The social work field was established to uplift our society’s least advantaged people to create a more equal society. This has always included an effort to redress the inequality faced by women along a host of issues, from workplace inequality to safety from violence to voting rights.
Indeed, in the early 20th century, social workers were at the forefront of campaigns for women’s suffrage, working tirelessly to secure voting rights for women and challenge societal norms that perpetuated gender inequality. Through grassroots organizing, community outreach, and political lobbying, social workers helped pave the way for legislative changes that have empowered women to participate more fully in civic and political life. The tremendous success of these efforts can be seen in the enshrinement of women’s equal legal standing in the voting process today.
Social workers have also long been involved in initiatives to protect women from gender-based violence and discrimination, starting shelters for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault as well as leading advocacy campaigns to raise awareness of the systemic nature of these issues and the concerted efforts that must be taken to protect women from these forms of abuse. In fact, because social workers have often been on the front lines of these issues, the insights gained from their professional experiences have been hugely impactful in informing public understanding of these problems and the work that must be done to solve them.
Social workers have also been central figures in organizing educational campaigns to help the public understand the key issues women face in the U.S. as well as to help women empower themselves. By providing the information and tools to understand that women’s issues are prompted by structural failures, social workers have helped build important alliances that have driven impactful campaigns to make the country a safer and fairer place for women across ages and demographics.
Resources for Women in the Social Work Field
The following index includes a variety of resources to help women in the social work field connect and form alliances that can advance their shared interests in the field, as well as to gain a data-driven understanding of the issues that continue to persist for women social workers. It also includes toolkits, articles, and other educational materials that women social workers and allies can use to learn how to create more equitable spaces within their own work environments.
Some of these resources are Texas-based, while others are national organizations that can offer a broader scope of information to enrich and advance your efforts. It’s always worth looking into your own workplace to see if any women’s programs or meeting groups exist within your own specific community, and those who are especially motivated may take it upon themselves to start such groups themselves.
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
The AAUW is a national organization broadly aimed at supporting gender equity goals, using education and advocacy initiatives to assess the state of women’s workplace rights and help guide activist efforts to improve these issues. The resources included on their website include multimedia educational materials that identify the large variety of women’s issues in America today as well as seminars and workshops to help people improve their overall work environments.
Another national-level organization, Black Girls in Social Work aims to connect Black women social workers (as well as social work students) across the country to create solidarity and enrich communal understanding of the unique issues Black female social workers face. Their resources include an online platform to facilitate introductions between Black women social workers, and they host a biennial Homecoming Weekend conference to create a stronger network of Black female social workers across the country.
CSWE: Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education
This initiative by the Council on Social Work Education is specifically concerned with women social work educators (such as professors of Master of Social Work programs or related academic fields). Offerings include numerous types of social work career resources, such as networking events, scholarships and other funding opportunities, professional mentorship, and other advocacy efforts.
Run by the Department of Health and Human Services, this initiative is in fact a social service provider that can help women access quality healthcare no matter what their income level is. Its website features resources on a variety of women’s health issues that can be illuminating for women social workers who are working to learn more about the top causes in women’s healthcare in their state today.
The International Federation of Social Workers: Women’s Issues
For those interested in the relationship between women’s causes in the U.S. and women’s causes elsewhere in the world, this report from the IFSW will help you gain a broader understanding of the global status of women and the efforts being taken worldwide to fight for women’s equality. Primarily focused on women’s rights legislation, it is an excellent research-driven resource for anyone who wishes to learn about gender equality on a policy level.
NASW, Texas Chapter: Reproductive Justice
The Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers has created a list of resources to help educate social workers on the specific status of reproductive justice within the state of Texas. Since many social workers who are focused on women’s causes are involved in helping women access quality maternity care and improving access to reproductive services, this can be a great way of staying up to date on these issues and their current standing in law.
An advocacy organization with a broad scope, the Texas Women’s Foundation is devoted to advancing women’s causes of all types within the state, with a particular interest in economic equality. Their website features research reports that can be illuminating for women social workers who are eager to become involved in advocacy efforts. They also host numerous events designed to connect like-minded women in Texas, including an annual leadership forum designed to empower and celebrate women leaders in the state.
The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston
The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston is an organization that offers a huge variety of free programs to empower and uplift women of all backgrounds in the region. Though its offerings are not specific to social workers, women social workers in the Houston area who are eager to learn about the particular issues faced by women in the region can find educational materials as well as opportunities to connect with and learn from other women, building solidarity and strengthening advocacy efforts overall.