Seven Tips On How To Respond To Equal Pay Critics
Remember a couple of years ago when a Utah Official said men have traditionally earned more than women citing “simple economics” — he also argued that “having more women in the workforce would create competition for jobs, (men’s jobs) and hurt families’ and society.”
I wish that was the last crazy argument against equal pay but given that today is Equal Pay Day, I’d be willing to bet you’ll find yourself hearing similar arguments both online and offline about whether or not Equal Pay is actually an issue. Yes, it is 2021 and we are still debating this, not just with male colleagues but often with fellow women.
Having these conversations can be exhausting, so to make it easier for you to advocate we’ve put together a list of data-driven responses to some of the most common criticism of the gender pay gap argument.
1. “Women keep choosing low-paying jobs”
The most common argument from pay gap critics is that women are choosing lower-paid jobs and therefore earning less. However, they often fail to recognize the entrenched gender stereotypes and gender bias driving girls and women away from pursuing careers in science-related and finance fields. Extensive data shows although we continue to see progress, women entering higher-paid, male-dominated industries such as STEM and finance still face greater barriers to entry. This is even more true for women of color. From being discouraged from studying certain subjects, to facing discrimination during the hiring process, women who choose to rise to the challenge and pursue a STEM career later face the prospect of unequal pay and restricted career progression. Evidence actually demonstrates that when women enter fields in greater numbers, pay declines — for the very same jobs that more men were doing before. This is demonstrated both in the average salaries for female-dominated professions as well as in overall sector salary decreases when more women choose to enter a profession that was previously dominated by men. Once again reinforcing that “women’s work” is still greatly undervalued in society.
2. “People should be hired based on merit and qualifications, not gender”
Given the composition of our country, education levels and the fact that women make up 50 percent of our labor-pool, if people were hired completely on their merit we would see about a 50/50 split in most industries. Truth is, employers tend to hire based on an applicant’s “perceived” merit and personality traits which often leads to unconscious bias and results in many perfectly capable women being overlooked in favor of a male applicant. A typical follow-up from critics regarding equal pay quotas is that it creates negative outcomes for women who are then seen by colleagues to have been hired for their gender, rather than merit. However, several studies have found that when employees are educated about gender discrimination, quotas can help eradicate the biases that shape hiring decisions and encourage more women to put their hand up for a position.
3. “It’s not a pay-gap, it’s a resume-gap as women exit the workplace to have children”
No sh*t Sherlock! Of course much of the gender pay gap can be attributed to women taking time off or leaving the workplace to start a family. This is what we’ve come to know as the ‘motherhood penalty’, which so we are clear, is just another form of discrimination. When women interview for a new job, they often face invasive questions about family planning and having children, affecting their likelihood of getting the job. Male peers rarely have to deal with this. Even worse, women returning to work after having a child find they are much less likely to be hired than a father or women (and men) without children.
4. “Women just need to Lean-In”
Listen, this used to be me. I bought into the whole Sheryl Sandberg “Lean In” theory of women just have to be more assertive, ask for a seat a the table, apply for the job, ask for the promotion, and negotiate salary more effectively. But the reality is, as Michelle King often reminds us, workplaces were never designed with women in mind. Implying that we need to fix women in order for them to fit in is already saying there is something wrong with us and we are not as good as our male peers. Even when women are assertive, research shows they are 25 percent less likely to succeed than men. Assertiveness has a different connotation when used to describe male peers than when used to describe women. In fact, being assertive can have a negative effect on a woman’s career trajectory, as those of us who do have tendencies of being direct and assertive are often classified by employers and colleagues as being “too pushy” and “too aggressive.”
5. “Women don’t negotiate their pay”
Many critics argue that the gender wage gap exists simply because women don’t negotiate their salaries as well or as frequently as men. This argument is patently inaccurate. Women recognize the importance of negotiation and do indeed negotiate for higher salaries — they are just less likely to receive them, which is evidence of pay discrimination. Women also run a much higher risk than men of being socially or professionally penalized for negotiating for more income. According to a Harvard Business Review article, the social cost of negotiating for higher pay has been found to be greater for women than it is for men. Ask your boss for more money and risk being seen as ungrateful and pushy; don’t ask for more and you’ll be paid less for the rest of your career. Discrimination in negotiation practices is actually evidence of the gender pay gap and why it exists — not an argument against it.
6. “Men work harder than Women”
I used to think nobody would ever have the audacity to say this out loud, but then again here we are, and if I had a penny for every time this argument is even slightly insinuated I’d be retired and living in Cabo. Unfortunately arguments regarding the wage gap sometimes do often insinuate the belief that men work harder than women and therefore should be paid more. Who here has ever heard “men just put in more hours, don’t take as much time off, and don’t have to leave temporarily to have children.” These statements are not only inaccurate, they are sweeping generalizations hurting both women and men, as it sets unrealistic expectations. It is actually women who do more at work but simply benefit less from it in terms of recognition. Several studies found women are more likely to stay late at work as well as to engage in office housework (even before the pandemic), or take on administrative tasks that are helpful but do not “pay off.”
7. “Equal Pay is Anti-Capitalism”
This is my personal favorite when it comes to countering. I love reminding folks that believing equal pay for equal work equates to socialism and inhibits merit-based pay is essentially implying women are inherently worse at their jobs than men, making my entire case of how otherwise the gender pay gap would be closed. Saying equal pay is anti-capitalistic implies a complete lack of belief in the existence of a discriminatory workplace practices, which has been repeatedly stated not just in this piece but confirmed through many studies and analyses.
Fortunately, most employers don’t actively discriminate against women when hiring or negotiating pay. However, the prevalence of unconscious bias means that both male and female employers, you and I, are all prone to falling prey to these traps. Being aware of our own bias, and having conscious conversations with those who oppose us is key to progress.
Happy Equal Pay Advocating!
VEST Her
