Kentucky is ranked the fourth worst state to be a woman

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Kentucky is the fourth worst state in the nation to be a woman, according to a study by the career website, Zippia.

In Kentucky, only 18% of all CEOs are female and 32% of women live in poverty, according to the study.

The study shows the wage gap in the Commonwealth is 29% and that the average life expectancy of a female is 75 years old.

Although these statistics don’t look great, there are also many successful women in south central Kentucky, including at the Bowling Green Police Department where Penny Bowles serves as Chief Deputy.

“Policing has come a long way. It used to completely all male dominated, and then slowly over time women have integrated policing in various different roles. But now it is a little more mainstream than it used to be. When I started 24 years ago, I think there were six female officers and today we have 16,” said Bowles.

She says if you have the heart and passion for a certain job, no matter your gender, find someone to mentor you.

“I have always looked at it like it is up to me. It doesn’t matter if I am a woman or a male. I bring to the table my attitude, my hard work ethic and a stick-to-itiveness,” said Bowles.

Another successful woman in Bowling Green is Erika Barnes, a property manager for two large apartment complexes in the area.

“I don’t think being a female ever stopped me from doing what I wanted to do because I was raised to know, you can’t stop me. Male, female, or not, I demand the same respect as any other male in the industry and I do not think I am treated any different,” said Barnes.

Barnes was a single working mother of a little boy and says she could never have become this successful without the help from her support system.

She believes these statistics do not describe the life she has experienced here in the Commonwealth.

“I was born and raised here, I was a WKU student and it’s not somewhere I have ever wanted to leave. I’ve felt like I have always had growth here,” said Barnes.

West Virginia was ranked the worst state to be a woman, while Vermont was the best, according to Zippia.

Click here to see the original Zippia article.