The Reasons for the Gender Pay Gap

Imagine that while you’re watching television, a news broadcast comes on saying that “the gender pay gap has only slightly improved in recent years, with women now being paid a meager 82 cents for every dollar men are paid.” Examine the reasons for the gender pay gap.

To answer this question, think of the next controversies. Do you think that the systemic patriarchal policies inherent in American culture continue to discriminate against women? Is the reason for the gender pay gap a reflection of the success of the women’s liberation movement? Do you think that men are more likely to seek out technical jobs that tend to be higher paying while women more often gravitate toward careers in education and helping professions that pay less?