Oklahoma ranks among the worst states for women's equality: See the study

A recent WalletHub study ranked Oklahoma among the worst states for women's equality based on several key indicators such as disparity in unemployment rates for men and women and the gap between female and male executives.

The personal finance website also ranked Oklahoma the worst state for women overall in a previous study based on living standards.

Here's how WalletHub ranked Oklahoma in women's equality:

Oklahoma ranks among worst states for women's equality

WalletHub ranked Oklahoma the seventh-worst state for women's equality, placing the Sooner State 46th in political representation for women, and 45th in the unemployment rate gap.

Here's where the study ranked Oklahoma among other key indicators:

• 44th – Overall rank
• 34th – Earnings gap
• 22nd – Executive positions gap
• 34th – Work hours gap
• 19th – Minimum wage workers gap
• 18th – Entrepreneurship rate gap

Katerina Bezrukova, associate professor and chair of Organization and Human Resources at the University at Buffalo School of Management, said to increase female representation in senior management roles, its crucial to implement policies that address systemic gender biases, like the stereotype that women are weak so they can't be leaders.

"Promoting education that enhances cognitive flexibility can help challenge and change these outdated perceptions," Bezrukova said.

Which states are the best for women's equality?

WalletHub's top 10 states for women's equality are:

1. Hawaii
2. California
3. Minnesota
4. Maine
5. New Mexico
6. New York
7. Oregon
8. Massachusetts
9. Rhode Island
10. Maryland

“There is no gap in the rate of men and women who are minimum-wage workers in Hawaii, and women are only 0.4% more likely to be unemployed than men," said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. "On the education front, by eighth grade, there is no math test score disparity between boys and girls. And when it comes to politics, Hawaii has no gender disparity among its national representatives.”

Which states are the worst for women's equality?

With Oklahoma ranked at 44th overall, WalletHub ranked these states as the worst for women's equality:

1. Utah
2. Texas
3. Wyoming
4. Idaho
5. Missouri
6. Georgia
7. Oklahoma
8. North Dakota
9. Alabama
10. Indiana

"Ensuring women’s equality requires more than simply giving men and women the same fundamental rights," Happe said. "States also need to work to make sure that women receive equal treatment to men when it comes to financial opportunities, education, and politics. The best states for women’s equality have drastically reduced the disparities between men and women on multiple fronts.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma ranks among the worst states for women's equality: See the study