We like to think that we progress with every generation, medical advancements, the increase of technology. We like to think we get better with every year, but according to a new report by the Population Reference Bureau, millennial women are “worse off” than their mothers, but what exactly does that mean?
The study compared 14 indicators of socioeconomic progress and wellbeing. Among those were higher poverty rates, fewer high-paying STEM jobs, higher maternal mortality and suicide, and rising incarceration. So why the stalled or reversed progress for women of younger generations? Researchers blame “social and structural barriers.”
Poverty Rates
There’s been a 37% rise in the poverty rate for millennial women. A good portion of these issues are related directly to economics and it’s making it more difficult for women to access the healthcare they need, and this increases with women of color and unmarried women.
STEM Jobs
Fewer high-paying STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) jobs is dramatically different from the progress that he Baby Boomer generation saw. The Baby Boomers had 1 in 4 workers while Millennials are 1 in 5.
Maternal Mortality
The maternal mortality rate, is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy. One reason for the increase is the abortion policies. In recent years, the rate rose as federal and state policies restricted access to health services. However, women’s reproductive health doesn’t stop after the birthing process. Although, there have been vast improvements in infant care, they haven’t been matched by the care for women in the postpartum stage.
Suicide
The suicide rate for young women in the Millennial generation has gone up. According to the study, the rate has increased for Millennials to 6.3 per 100,000. Even though women are less likely to overdose on drugs than men, the overdose rate for women has quadrupled since 1999.
Incarceration
Between the World War II and Millennial generations, women’s incarceration rates have increased 10-fold.
Good News
Don’t let that get you down, there’s a positive side. Millennial women are also more likely to get their college degree and teen birth rates are at a historic low. The gender gap in terms of business ownership is decreasing and more women are getting involved in politics and are participating in Congress. According to the study, the amount of female legislators have increased with every generation, but they are still deeply underrepresented.
Even though there are some positive points, the real problem is a lack of momentum, a stand-still in women’s progress that is different from other generations.
At The Center for Generational Kinetics, we turn Millennial and Gen Z trends into fuel for your sales, marketing, employment, and growth.
Contact us today to see how we can help you unlock new sales and bridge the generational divide with Millennials and Gen Z.
And don’t forget to click here to check out our new national Gen Z Study!
