Why do YOU think women earn less than men?

[cairo140]

I was inspired by this thread on feminism to ask this question. It is based loosely on former Harvard University President Lawrence Summers' comments on his reasoning for why women are underrepresented in technical academic fields.

My question is as follows:

The overall wage gap between men and women in the United States is well over 10 000 USD. "Blame" can easily be attributed to the sociological evolution of the economic institution since the dawn of civilization. However, the current "cause" is harder to pinpoint and even harder to discuss safely. Ignoring political correctness, what are the 3 most significant modern causes of the wage disparity?

 

[Xanikk999]

There is nobody to blame.

Its just the average for most jobs that woman earn less on AVERAGE.

Usually its because many women for many proffesional jobs have less experience, do not work full time, or do not work as long as men.

So for many jobs they earn less on AVERAGE.

Employers dont pay women less because they are a woman, its because of other factors that statistics turn this out.

 

[cairo140]

Are you saying that statistics produce flawed conclusions?

 

[Fetus4188]

That sure would be an Earth shatteringly original conclusion.

 

[JollyRoger]

There is still bias in the system (with more men being the decision makers regarding raises and promotions), men are maybe more aggressive in playing the raise & promotion game, and women still likely have a higher tendency to put their career on hold for a while for children and likely still tend to emphasize family over career in the overall balance of things.

 

[amadeus]

Employers dont pay women less because they are a woman, its because of other factors that statistics turn this out.

I remember a radio program a few years ago and they had a feminist (the angry kind) on there and they asked about this.

The host asked her that if women earn less than men in the same jobs, why more companies didn't just hire women, thus lowering their labor costs? The feminist responded that the managers prefer the company of men and would rather pay more in salaries than have women working for them.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

For the purposes of the poll, I voted for "interests" and "intelligence," though I feel the second option doesn't describe my feelings well, since I'm referring largely to the higher number of men that have had college diplomas than women do.

 

[Jawz II]

There are obvious disadvantages in hiring women: Women arent as physically strong as men (althought that's not really relebant in most jobs today) and women do need that 6-12 months off, if they are to have a child.

Other than that, I think a woman that works in an office type job should get the same pay as any male.

 

[Red Door]

Because people still don't think women are equal to men.

 

[amadeus]

Because people still don't think women are equal to men.

Do you mean that a woman, in a position traditionally held by a man, would be paid less?

(This is assuming the man and woman both start at the same time and have completely equal abilities.)

 

[JollyRoger]

The host asked her that if women earn less than men in the same jobs, why more companies didn't just hire women, thus lowering their labor costs?

In my own business, I have tended to hire more women than men because invariably, one of the best qualified candidates is a woman with a lower salary demand. I usually make her an offer above her salary demand, offer some flexibility in her schedule if she needs it, and I have a happy and very motivated employee. I am making a trade-off in the flexibilty department, but it is well worth it as I have a good team that works together to make sure my office runs smoothly no matter what. I hardly have to do anything except make court appearances, meet with clients, and sign paychecks.

 

[JollyRoger]

For the purposes of the poll, I voted for "interests" and "intelligence," though I feel the second option doesn't describe my feelings well, since I'm referring largely to the higher number of men that have had college diplomas than women do.

For now as women outnumber men on most college campuses today. Even many law schools are starting to have more women than men.

 

[Red Door]

Do you mean that a woman, in a position traditionally held by a man, would be paid less?

(This is assuming the man and woman both start at the same time and have completely equal abilities.)

Yes .

 

[ShannonCT]

When you control for type of job, experience, schooling, hours worked per week, leaves of abscences, marital status, number of children, etc, women earn 98% of what men earn. Nature has discriminated against women, making them childbearers and more interested in personal relationships. This isn't going to change anytime soon.

 

[Mirc]

Yes .

I'd say most of the time they get paid more, assuming the conditions in Amadeus' post.

 

[Kozmos]

Because they are women. No further explanation is needed.

 

[Brighteye]

My other, which ShannonCT mentioned, is the time required for children. That leads to less experience and less time for rising up the hierarchy.

Women have been blessed with ability to choose either to have a career, or to have children as well.

Men cannot make this choice: we have no way of bearing a child.

 

[Xanikk999]

My other, which ShannonCT mentioned, is the time required for children. That leads to less experience and less time for rising up the hierarchy.

Women have been blessed with ability to choose either to have a career, or to have children as well.

Men cannot make this choice: we have no way of bearing a child.

Not yet anyway.

 

[Neomega]

Women make more money in tip bearing jobs, but don't report it.

Women do not do dirty work like septic pumping or garbage collection.

Women are more likley to end a career to have a child, and stay with the child.

 

[RedWolf]

My other, which ShannonCT mentioned, is the time required for children. That leads to less experience and less time for rising up the hierarchy.

Women have been blessed with ability to choose either to have a career, or to have children as well.

Men cannot make this choice: we have no way of bearing a child.

The question though is why women should be suffering economic disadvantages for doing something that we as a society (men included) require to survive (and for our economy to prosper). Why are they carrying that burden when the rest of us are reaping the advantages?

To be fair - individually, women have the choice of course to not have children and thus forego that disadvantage. But as a whole this would neither be desirable or feasible if they were all to do so. We're already in the developed world starting to see the social and economic results of our decreasing birth rates.

 

[RedWolf]

Women make more money in tip bearing jobs, but don't report it.

Women do not do dirty work like septic pumping or garbage collection.

Women are more likley to end a career to have a child, and stay with the child.

I've also found that women are less likely to unionize - studies show (here anyway) that unions provide better wages/standard of living in non-professional environments. When they DO (teaching for example) the result is indeed a workplace where women earn wages equal to their male counterparts when experience/education is equal.