All the political bullcrap and debate over whether the government should mandate equal pay aside.....
Discussions of gender inequality in the workforce are very similar to discussions of racial and ethnic inequality in the workforce.
There are official and unofficial reasons for the disparities. Some seem justified to those who want them to be justified. Such as, men generally get paid more because employers want employees who need less "family time" and can potentially work more. But looking beyond the surface and beyond profit margins, it is society's gender norms that make it such that men generally have fewer family responsibilities/expectations. Therefore, men would be hired, paid, and promoted based on societal factors beyond their qualifications and job performance.
On another note, I only expect male feminists and male proponents of gender equality to see this. I don't expect the average male to see this and especially not the average white man. Moreso than other males, white males have a history of being the primary breadwinner and being paid more than other gender and race categories (and feeling as though this disparity is justified for a number of reasons).
Last edited by DrPhil; 02-02-2009 at 05:19 PM.
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