The Arguement

My question is, should the Obama administration work to eliminate pay inequality? My answer is absolutely yes, and there have been movements toward that goal already with the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Bill in January.

One bill will not erase the history women have with inequalities. Women were meant to stay home and raise their families until WW2 erupted, leaving factories void of male workers. The nation called upon all able bodied women to fill in, and promised equal pay for equal work from the start.(Women and Propaganda video,Equal Pay For Equal Work image, Women Are Teachable Image)

So where did we go wrong? Statistics show that women today typically make seventy-seven cents to every dollar men make.(77C to a Dollar image)Although there are cases of outright discrimination, the major reason for the pay gap is the divergence of choices men and women make. (Interview with Ryan Herzog) Men are generally found in higher paying jobs such as construction or business. Women typically lean toward more humanitarian callings such as healthcare and education. Perhaps most notably, women are the ones to put education and careers on hold to raise their children. A majority of pay gaps come from the women opting out of higher-stress positions because they shoulder the burden of their household’s well-being(Opting Out?Why Women really Quit Careers and Head Home).

There is a recently termed “Third Shift” phenomena, studied by psychologists and sociologists. Women have the first shift of their actual paying job, the second shift of coming home to take care of their home and families, and a third shift of continuously worrying about not being entirely present for any one aspect of their lives. Many high-payed ,high-skilled women are simply choosing to stay home and raise their children.(The Third Shift)

President Obama promised the nation many things during his election campaign. He promised to give women the respect and earnings they deserved, touting his own love and respect for the women in his life(Roundtable Meeting, video) . He showed that he” got it”, and the first legislature of his presidency was to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Bill. This bill was named after a woman who worked for the Goodyear Tire company her whole life, only to find out from an unidentified source at her retirement that she made considerably less than any of the men at the plant. She tried to sue the company, but the Supreme Court rejected her case, saying her claim was not made in a timely enough manner. The Ledbetter Bill overturns the 180 day statute of limitations, so now anyone who found out too late about a wage discrepancy can sue for retributions.(President Signs Ledbetter Bill, video;Senate Passes Wage Discrimination Bill; Day of Vindication For Grandma as Ledbetter Bill Signed)

Women’s groups across the country are very thankful for this milestone, but are not satisfied that it is enough. There need to be major changes, that may be possible with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but so far most of the changes seem to be directed toward male-dominated occupations.(The Economy Is A Feminist Issue; What Kind of Economic stimulus Do American Women Want; Women Keeping Jobs Despite Layoffs, NPR) The American Association of University Women, or AAUW,has been lobbying for many issues that would enable women and families to play on a more level field. Among these issues are education endorsements, ensuring health plans, and better childcare resources.(On Lincoln, AAUW and Economic Recovery;Women Have Come A Long Way)

There is some opposition to the recent legislation, such as the Ledbetter Bill will not really serve its purpose, and will instead serve to fill the pockets of labor trial lawyers. This same opposition is fearful that corporations will go bankrupt if they are mandated to pay back pay to employees who think they got shorted, and in turn, tax payers will have to bail them out.(Fair Pay For Trial Lawyers) Others just absolutely deny that there is any sort of wage gap. (The Truth About Boys and Girls) Still more believe that any sort of wage discrepancies have a rational explanation.(The Truth About the Pay Gap)

The truth of the matter is that the government has repeatedly made promises to women that it has not followed through on.The hope that President Obama personifies is infectious, and makes even an impossible situation seem possible. There are those in government that would like things to stay as they are, swept under the rug. It is up to each individual to make ethical choices when dealing with each other. Companies need to review their pay schedules and make sure there are no discrepancies. Women need to be empowered enough to turn down a job or situation that is not in their best interests. That empowerment can come from increased educational opportunities, a supportive spouse, and a community of women united. Women need to feel secure enough to make the choice to have children.

There is no quick fix solution to discrimination. There will always be those dissatisfied with their own lives enough to try to keep others down, but in this “new” New Deal, we can find inspiration in the words of a president who advocates for all of humankind, and in the famous words of Abigail Adams to her husband:

“Remember the ladies. All men would be tyrants if they could, if there is no attention or care paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” (What Kind of Economic Stimulus Do American Women Want)

Oh, yes we can…

Journalistic Source Notes

1) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/journalistic-source-note-1/

2) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/journalistic-source-note-4/

3) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/journalistic-source-notes-2/

(also in multimedia sources)

4) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/211/

5) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/214/

Institutional Source Notes

1) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/wage-gap-over-timein-real-dollarswomen-see-a-continuing-gap/

(also in images)

2) http://bronwynnheather.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/women-in-the-workforce/