- Question
Is the gender pay gap a myth?
Under the Equal Pay Act of 1963 in the United States, an employer must pay male and female employees the same amount of money for equal work. Equal pay includes a worker’s yearly salary or hourly pay, in addition to overtime, benefits, and bonuses. The gender pay gap is the average difference in yearly earnings between male and female workers. Statistical research clearly indicates that women earn less money, on average, in a given year than their male counterparts. A debate emerges when feminists and gender equality advocates define the gender pay gap as being a form of systemic gender bias that results in women earning approximately 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. It can be argued that although women on average do earn less than men, this is not a form of conscious or systemic gender bias in the workplace, thus the gender pay gap as defined by the feminist movement does not exist.
The gender pay gap does exist
When defined as a form of systemic and sometimes concious gender bias, the gender pay gap does exist. Women earn less money due to a variety of societal factors, including behavioral expectations, perceptions of femininity, and their choices to become mothers.
- Women are more susceptible to imposter syndrome and therefore pursue less promotions than their male counterparts.
- Women earn less money once they decide to raise a family due to lifestyle and schedule changes that don't affect their husbands.
- Certain occupations have become gendered, so women are more likely to pursue careers that pay less than the careers men pursue.
The gender pay gap does not exist
When defined as a form of systemic and sometimes conscious gender bias, the gender pay gap does not exist. It is illegal to pay male and female workers unequally for equal work, therefore any perceived pay gap is due to misunderstandings of statistical research or simply the choices made by women.
- The singular gender pay gap as currently perceived by the majority of people within society does not exist.
- Gender pay gap statistics are being misinterpreted by people who fail to take other factors into account.
- The difference in median earnings between male and female workers is due to the personal choices of women, so no gender discrimination is occurring.