The Gender Pay Gap (Washington Post)

I came across this article while reading the news today, and I wanted to share it since we've been discussing unequal opportunities and wages for women in the workplace during the mid-twentieth century. Especially in comparison to the statistics given in "A Day Without Feminism" by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, from yesterday's readings, it's striking both how much things have improved today and how women are still facing the same barriers we see in the 1970s.

I enjoyed reading this piece not only because of the really informative infographics, but also because it highlights key claims that are often made in society to explain why women are paid less than men.

In summary, the article debunks (at least partially) the following claims of those who deny the existence of a pay gap: 

1) Women choose lower-paying jobs.

2) Women choose to work part-time.

3) It's not the case for younger, more educated women.

Finally, the article ends with a conclusion that reminded me of our own class discussions:

"What this all hints to is that the causes of the gender gap are many and more nuanced than just individual choices or corporate discrimination. However you slice the data, the gap is there. Only by recognizing the complexity of the variables that play into the gap can companies and the government enact policies to root out the deeper causes of those disparities, instead of alleviating its symptoms."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/business/women-pay-gap/?utm_term=.fd70bdfc4312

-Jane