Closing the Gender Pay Gap

This episode addresses a problem which has existed for women, since we entered the workforce. A problem that, despite a host of stated commitment and endless implementation of interventions, persists. The gender pay gap. Let’s debunk the myths that continue to perpetuate a narrative that is both incorrect and does not serve women and contributes to gender inequity.

I share data that shows how even after adjusting for years of work experience, industry, and region, men start their careers at higher levels and pay than women and, after starting behind, women often do not catch up. Men move further up the career ladder, they move faster, and are more highly compensated.

There is an abundance of advice offered to women to help “fix” gender inequity, but we need to shift our focus to gender bias in organizational systems that drive that pay gap. This episode addresses the systems, structures, and polices needed to fix the problem. Let’s stop blaming women or trying to fix women. We are not broken! We do not need to be fixed! What we need fixed is the gender pay gap. This episode is about the real problems that need to be fixed, including 1. Affordable and equitable childcare, 2. Gender discrimination and unconscious bias, 3. Socialization, and the shuffling of women into lower paying work, and 4. Same pay for same work (the Paycheck Fairness Act).

To fix the gender pay gap, we need pragmatic solutions that address bias and a long history of inequity and discrimination. That address the practical needs of a diverse, dynamic, 21st century workforce. As American soccer gold medalist Carli Lloyd said “...It’s about doing the right thing, the fair thing. It’s about treating people the way they deserve to be treated, no matter their gender.”

 

Reference:

Fredrickson, C. (2018). The Lingering Wage Gap from Rosie the Riveter to MeToo. Intereconomics, 53(2), 107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10272-018-0730-y

The Story Behind the World War II “Kilroy was here” https://www.argunners.com/story-world-war-2-kilroy-was-here/

https://now.org/resource/the-gender-pay-gap-myth-vs-fact/

For more about Dr. DeSimone and the Advancing Women Podcast:

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Advancing Women Podcast