> In conclusion, it’s true that the gender pay gap exists, and that on average, women make less money than men. However, the claims that it proves gender inequality are false because women are simply doing different kinds of jobs.
More interesting to understand is:
Why women ask for raises less often
Why men do not take parental leave at the same time as their spouses
Why women are not chosen for or seek out high-risk, high-reward occupations
These are only a few of the interesting questions we might ask about an apparent pay gap. I know it doesn't come up handily in a statistical analysis but the least the author could do is raise them as questions to think about.
So, as it stands, it's really a better economic decision to hire a man than to hire a woman, even if the woman is cheaper per hour (you still have to train a new person and so on). As a woman, I always find this discussion frustrating because nobody admits this. Everyone just pretends that employers are being irrational and sexist.
My husband stayed at home with the baby at first and he was socially ostracized for it. "Parents' groups" (really, MOMS' groups) told him straight up they didn't want him to attend, no other men were staying at home, etc. People actually pointed and laughed at him in the street, and this is in Seattle!
Until childcare is a socially acceptable role for the dad, this whole issue is going nowhere.
