I attended the Pay Inequity Forum (organized by my wonderful classmates, Nicole E. and Nena B.) on April 11th. To me, pay inequity is about as mind boggling as currency exchange. While I have experienced my fair share of gender-based discriminations in the work place, I have not yet felt the repercussions of the wage gap. I am currently a manager at a company where 4 out of 6 employees are female in an industry (service/bar/restaurant) where, according to Forbes, women make 111% more than men (the reasons for this, however, are certainly a topic for “unpacking”) (Goudreau).
Panelist Curtis Hiero brought up a few good points concerning the persistence of pay inequity, mainly the construction of masculinity in society and it’s ability to perpetuate the wage gap. Men are often portrayed as the “bread-winners” and thus deserving of heftier compensation. Men with children earn 2% more than men without children (Longley). Conversely, women with children earn 2.5% less than women without children (Longley). There is also a theory that working women from an older generation continue on in positions that are subject to attitudes from the past, having a negative impact on the wage gap equation. In 2005, women under 25 working full-time earned 93.2% of men’s salaries; women 25 and older earned 79.4% of what men made (Brunner). But, as commentator Katha Pullit states: “Young men and women have always had earnings more compatible than those of their elders. Starting salaries are generally low, and do not accurately reflect the advantages that accrue, or fail to accrue, over time as men advance and women stay in place, or as women in mostly female kinds of jobs reach the end of characteristically short career paths (Brunner).” This is definitely something that concerns me as, at 25, I am at a crossroads when it comes to making decisions that will determine what my career/future looks like.
It’s important to recognize the gravity of the situation, but equally important to recognize the progress that has been made in this imperfect world of ours. Albeit slow, the wage gap has narrowed in the past decade (up from 76 cents to 81 cents compared to every dollar earned by a man) (Goudreau). While government action such as the Equal Pay Act and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act have made an impact, I agree with Curtis’ assertion that empowerment will be our most important tool in continuing progress and influencing larger systematic changes.
Also: Jobs Where Women Earn More Than Men: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/03/14/jobs-where-women-earn-more-than-men/
Works Cited
Brunner, Borgna. "InfoPlease." The Wage Gap: A History of Pay Inequity. Women's History, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.
Goudreau, Jenna. "Forbes." The 15 Jobs Where Women Earn More Than Men. Forbes Woman, 14 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.
Longley, Robert. "About." Why Women Still Make Less Than Men. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr 2012.
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