Have any of you done any research in this area? The source of the information is certainly legitimate, but I personally have looked into this debate very little. The argument presented here makes a lot of sense to me, however.
I ran across this article a day or two ago, and I thought of it during our class discussion today.
What say ye?
Thanks Mark for posting this. This question just came up in Randy's professional development class and I went in and read both your article and the White House report (okay I skimmed the White House report). Both were interesting and I think both oversimplify the issue of gender based pay gaps. Yes, men and women do choose different jobs, and in reality women have weathered the current recession much better then men because of that. Men's earning potential has also decreased in comparison to womens because their are less "living wage" jobs available to men and women without higher education. Where I think the gender gap still exists is in the high paid, higher educated positions prevelent in business and even education (hence why it came up in professional development). No matter how egalitarian we think we have become as a society (for better or not) women are still looked at in the professional world as a liability because of pregnancy. The loss of work time due to pregnancy (not even counting rearing time) is a liability that only comes with hiring women. Plus, women who are in these positions loose earning potential when they do take time off for childbearing. Women may also work less hours because they work more hours in the home, which is not recognized paid labor and thus has no earning potential. Though I think the author of the article has some valid points I also think they oversimplify the issue. Nor do they discuss any of the negative impacts of men working in more dangerous jobs (perhaps leaving their children or spouse for long period of time, even death) or working long hours (less involved parenting, higher stress, etc). I have little grounds for playing the discrimination card but I do find it amazing how often I have been asked inappropriate questions about my intentions to have a family in job interviews, even applying for graduate school and being in graduate school I have received comments and suggestions along the lines of "Don't get pregenet". In my old job my boss, a woman and mother, made the comment that hiring young women meant they would get pregnent and leave. Unfortunatly it is a very real issue. Is there an answer? While that probably depends on your world view but we should not say that the issue doesn't exisit or oversimplify the issue.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite possible that both sources oversimplify the matter. I have, however, an inescapable suspicion of absolute statements. "Total sham" or "proven conclusively" always makes me leery. I know the previous administration of our school claimed to have proof of gender discrimination at this institution, but I don't think they made their evidence public, and some are convinced that it was simply "politicking." I did not think that the jobs of truck drivers or garbage collectors were particularly high-paying, as the article states. If such is indeed the case, what the heck am I doing here at college, besides the quixotic ideals that subscribe to?
ReplyDeletehttp://moneywatch.bnet.com/economic-news/video/salary-gap-men-vs-women/397821/
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Maegan on this one. Your article did make some good points and I do think that some of them are true. However when you compare jobs on an equal level, men are still making more money than women. I liked the points brought out in the video above - it brought out what Maegan said that even the threat that the woman may get pregnant means that there is more of a risk in hiring women. Women are more likely to be the ones that stay home with sick kids, though this is changing and more men are starting to stay home. The gap is narrowing, but it is still there.
What's interesting is that when you compare men and women in equal jobs, the men are still making more. So overall, yes - men may be taking jobs that require more manual labor or have more risks, but comparing apples to apples - men are making more money. I liked the video's comment that education and attitude is what is narrowing the gap. More women are getting higher education and they are also demanding more. Women have the attitude now that they should be earning just as much as men are.
Alex's comment made me look up the public salaries for Utah State on Utah's Right. When looking at the top salaries here, there are very few women listed on that first page (even taking out the coaches). I do think though that this will continue to change and that gap will continue to narrow.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42215327
ReplyDeleteThis article I think is a little more reliable. I agree with Lauralee, when you compare men and women in the same job with the same experience men make more. The link I posted is interesting because it points out women in construction management make more than men. The concern is for men and women in the same job. The 8 reasons may help explain why men make more money than women but it does not say anything about why men and women in the same job are different.
I thought it was a little ironic the section with the military guy and saying that men take more dangerous jobs. It is ironic considering the limited role of females in the US military. Women are not allowed on the front line, the choice of dangerous positions is limited.