Although this is primarily a men’s-advocacy site, I am foremost a champion of human rights and people’s evolution. In that regard, on this Labor Day I want to address the issue of women’s wages in our nation.
Since 2010 women have been outpacing men at a 3:2 ratio in earning college and graduate degrees and have surpassed men in the percentage of professional management positions that they occupy. However, women have yet to catch up to men with regard to median wages.
In July, 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its report of women’s 2nd quarter, 2012 earnings. Overall, women holding full time jobs had median weekly earnings that amounted to about 80% of fully-employed men’s median wages. The female vs. male earnings ratio varied by race and ethnicity, but favored men in every category reported. The percentages ranged from a high of black women earning over 90% of full-time black male wages, to a low of roughly 70% when comparing fully-employed Asian women’s median wages to those of Asian men.
United States citizens like to regard this country as an advanced first-world nation, continually striving to uphold equal rights. Despite that noble ideal, the above statistics, consistent with previous data, reflect that women remain at least partially disenfranchised, alongside of gays and other minority groups. Thus, amidst significant gains in educational and job opportunities, achievement and status, American women remain paid less than their male counterparts across the board.
I don’t feel that we can take solace in realizing that the treatment of women is much bleaker in many parts of the world. I say it’s high time that women receive their just due.
