Why Women Everywhere Still Face Inequality — And Why Women Must Stand Together Now More Than Ever
- Tori Lynn Crowther
- Jan 24
- 6 min read
Why Women Everywhere Still Face Inequality — And Why Women Must Stand Together Now More Than Ever
Across the world today, women are challenging systems that have upheld inequality for centuries — sometimes at enormous personal risk.
In Iran in January 2026, women have been publicly burning their headscarves in protest and defiance against laws and norms that control their bodies and their freedom. These acts can carry serious consequences — including arrest, violence or worse — and yet they continue. That courage highlights something fundamental: women resist oppression not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.
While the context in Iran is starkly visible, inequality also takes subtler forms in other countries — including in places like the UK. Even where women have legal equality, social, economic and cultural barriers persist.
A Global and National Snapshot of Women’s Inequality
No country has achieved full gender equality. According to global measures like the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report, progress is slow — with parity in economic opportunity, political representation and leadership still far from realised worldwide.
In the UK, statistics show that progress remains uneven:
Women still earn less than men overall. Across all employees, women’s median hourly earnings were around 6.9% lower than men’s in 2025 — meaning women on average earn about 93p for every £1 a man earns.
The gap widens with seniority: among the highest earners (90th percentile), men’s earnings outpaced women’s by over 15%.
Even when jobs are female‑dominated, such as office managers or marketing roles, many still show pay gaps favouring men.
Improvements in gender pay statistics are gradual, and at the current pace it will take decades to reach genuine equality.
These figures reflect patterns of structural inequality, not individual ability or ambition.
How Inequality Persists — Beyond Law
Most people in the UK assume equal pay is protected by law — and it is, under the Equality Act 2010. But the gender pay gap measures something broader: differences in average earnings across the whole workforce. It’s influenced by:
Women being concentrated in lower‑paid industries and roles
Fewer women in high‑paying senior roles
Time taken out of work for caregiving
Part‑time work patterns affecting career progression
That’s why the gap persists even when pay discrimination for the same job is illegal.
How Culture and History Shape Women’s Roles
Barriers to women’s advancement aren’t only economic — they’re cultural. For centuries, societies have placed women in roles centred on care, service and domestic responsibility. Until relatively recently, women were excluded from voting, property ownership, professional education and leadership positions.
These historical inequalities didn’t simply vanish when laws changed — they left deep social norms behind. Those norms influence how women are seen and how women often see themselves: as less authoritative, less entitled to power, or less competitive. That conditioning is centuries in the making.
Why Women Sometimes Struggle to Support Each Other
This is uncomfortable but real: patterns of competition or guardedness among women can stem from scarcity — not personality. When opportunities are limited historically, women may internalise the belief that there is only “room for one”.
Some of this traces back to periods in history when women were actively punished — even killed — for being perceived as threats, knowledgeable outside male authority, or influential within their communities. The infamous witch hunts and social ostracism taught women that standing out could be dangerous, and alliances could invite risk. This survival conditioning has echoes in modern life, where women may feel they need to compete rather than collaborate to protect their own advancement.
It’s not inherent — it’s learned from systems that rewarded isolation over solidarity.
Men’s Networks and Women’s Solidarity
Men’s professional and social networks have historically been stronger and more visible. Men have often supported each other’s careers, shared opportunities, and occupied decision‑making spaces that created pathways for more men to rise.
Women, by contrast, have often lacked equal access to those networks, sponsorships and informal circles of influence.
This isn’t to blame individual women. It’s to highlight a cultural pattern — one that women can consciously break.
Solidarity doesn’t mean sacrificing ambition. It means building a culture of support where women lift each other through mentorship, sponsorship, advocacy and visibility.
Why This Matters — Now
The women protesting in Iran aren’t just resisting a dress code. They are resisting a system that believes women’s bodies and choices belong to someone else. Their struggle is visceral. Their courage is overt.
Women in other contexts — from the UK boardroom to first‑time business owners — face subtler forces of inequality that can still limit opportunity, diminish earnings and constrain confidence.
But the enemy is not other women. It’s systems of power that have historically excluded women and shaped how we value women’s work.
What Women Can Do — Together
True equality won’t come from waiting for change — it will come from making change happen:
Back other women — recommend them, share opportunities, promote their work.
Negotiate boldly — for pay, roles and progression.
Build visible communities — where knowledge is shared, not guarded.
Demand transparency and accountability — in pay and leadership representation.
Redefine norms — of leadership, professionalism and authority.
Equality isn’t optional. It’s a collective project — one that requires women to stand with each other, not in competition.
A Final Truth
Women have always fought for dignity, autonomy and justice — sometimes at great risk and with great courage. From public protests in Iran to everyday battles in workplaces around the world, the struggle continues.
But when women choose solidarity over scarcity, support over competition, and collective empowerment over individual survival, progress accelerates.
And that is how real equality is built — not by luck, legislation alone, or waiting for systems to change — but by women lifting other women as they rise.
A note on self-respect and business
This guide assumes one thing: you are running a business, not a hobby.
Women have been taught to minimise their work, soften their boundaries and price themselves around other people’s comfort. That conditioning does not belong in sustainable business ownership.
You are allowed to:
Charge enough to make your business viable
Set and enforce clear boundaries
Expect respect from clients, peers and the industry
Take your work seriously, even when others don’t
Build something that supports you, not just everyone else
Professional respect starts with self-respect. And businesses built on self-respect last.
About Tori Lynn C. & The Dog House
Welcome to The Dog House — my cosy corner of the TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub. I’m Tori Lynn C., the founder of TLC Dog Walking Limited, mentor to professional dog walkers, and lifelong advocate for dogs and the people who care for them. Before building my own dog walking company, I worked as a dog trainer and held corporate roles at Pizza Hut’s Head Office in London and at PricewaterhouseCoopers, based at Embankment Place. Business, structure, and people management have been part of my life for a very long time.
With full time, hands-on experience in the dog industry since 2007, my mission is to guide you through the realities of running a successful, sustainable dog walking business — from client care and safety to wellbeing, confidence, and professional growth.
The Dog House is where I share the honest, behind-the-scenes conversations we all need: the tricky moments, the funny bits, the business lessons, and the mindset work that keeps us thriving rather than merely surviving. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you’ll always find support, guidance, and a friendly nudge forward here.
You’re never alone in this journey — you’re part of a community of canine crusaders.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for general information and educational purposes only. It is intended to support pet care professionals in understanding common legal considerations when operating a dog walking or pet care business in the UK.
This content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a qualified solicitor or legal professional. Laws, regulations and local authority requirements may change over time and can vary depending on location and individual circumstances.
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date at the time of publication, no guarantees are made regarding completeness or applicability to your specific situation.
By using this website, you acknowledge that:
✓ You are responsible for ensuring your own business complies with all relevant UK laws and local authority rules
✓ You should seek professional legal advice before drafting, using or relying on any contract or legal document
✓ The website owner accepts no liability for loss, damage or legal issues arising from the use of this information
If you are unsure about any legal obligations, contractual terms or liabilities, it is strongly recommended that you consult a solicitor experienced in small business or consumer law.
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