opinions 7
Thursday, April 17 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014
The
Buzz
“Do you expect that men and women will be paid equally in your future career?”
Editorial America’s forgotten war?
CHARNISE JONES, 21 Communications
“Depending on your skill level, I think women have the opportunity to get paid more than men.”
AKRAM AZALES, 23 Business administration
“In my field of work women will have to go through cultural barriers to get subcontracts and men will be more welcome in some cultures.”
WESLEY IHEZUE / The Inquirer
Senate Republicans are still the biggest obstacle to income equality
Anything men can do, women can do better? NETTIE WALTON, 25 “No you can’t,” say Republicans. Kinesiology The battle over equal pay for “No, in my chosen field of women rages on between Demosports medicine/athletic train- crats and Republicans, which in iting it is dominantly an all male self shows, that as a society we truindustry and the pay scale is ly have not yet advanced enough governed by men.” from our sexist past. On April 8, the President signed an executive order, which prohibits retaliation by federal contractors against workers who discuss their pay, lifting the restrictions that keep too many workers in the dark — preventing them from advocating for fair and equal pay. He also signed a presidential PRESCOTT EDMUNDS, 23 memorandum directing the DePsychology “No. Although I would love partment of Labor Secretary to that to be a reality, the facts issue new regulations collecting summary pay data from federal are out there that women’s salaries are lower than men’s contractors. Collectively, these two actions on average.” will enhance pay transparency and give workers and investigators the tools they need to identify and remedy discrimination. On April 9, Senate Republicans blocked legislation for the third time, saying that: given the existing anti-discrimination laws, the legislation is redundant and is a transTONYA WESSMAN, 10 parent attempt by Democrats to Sociology and anthropology distract from President Obama’s “I guess in today’s society, much-criticized health care law that men and women in and to press what they see as their their respective industries electoral advantage among women in the upcoming mid-term elecare paid similarly.” tions. Interviewed and Democrats fell short of the 60 photographed by: votes needed to prevent a filibuster JOSH BRADSHAW and advance the legislation.
According to The Huffington other derangements of the nerPost from April 9, Senator Harry vous system, such as infertility.” Reid of Nevada, the majority leadHe went on to explain that a er in the floor speech said, “Are woman’s system never does two (Republicans) so repulsed by equal things well at the same time. pay for hardworking women that How is this type of attitude tothey’ll obstruct equal pay for equal wards women relevant in our sociwork?” ety today? “I’m at a loss as to why anyone According to the Department would decline to debate this im- of Labor and the Bureau of Staportant issue,” tistics, women Reid said. “One of the biggest make up almost In 1963, Presi50 percent of all obstacles to dent John F. workers in the Kennedy signed United States, combating pay the Fair Pay Act yet they earn 23 discrimination is into Law, since cents less than women in that their male counthat so many year were earning terparts for the women do not only 59 cents to same work. the dollar comThis gap reknow they are pared to men. sults in hundreds being underpaid Half a century of thousands of later, that amount dollars in lost due to has risen to 77 wages over a cadiscrimination.” cents on the dolreer. lar — a mere 18 For Africancent increase. American womThe issue faced here is entirely en, Latina women and women with relevant to the current generation, disabilities, the pay gap is even but it is a struggle that started off greater. as a war against women thousands Women-owned businesses acof years ago. count for 30 percent of all busiOver time women everywhere, nesses in the U.S and contribute were ranked down to a level of 1.8 trillion dollars to the economy, lesser value and importance by an yet they are the most underrepreever increasingly patriarchal soci- sented group in today’s labor marety of men. ket. In 1873, Harvard gynecologist One of the biggest obstacles to and author of “Sex in Education,” combating pay discrimination is Edward H. Clarke wrote: “Women that so many women do not know who went to college risked neural- they are being underpaid due to gia, uterine disease, hysteria, and discrimination.
This is where Obama’s executive order would come in if it were allowed to be enforced. Republicans fail to understand that when every single one of their party members vote against equal pay for equal work, it not only hurts their chances in the midterm elections, but it hurts families and individuals all across the country as well. The recent economic downturn created an ideal atmosphere for women to step up and bring their families out of poverty, by making up the majority of households where the woman is the sole earner. However if she is earning less than her male counterpart for the same job, the cycle of poverty becomes almost impossible to break. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, women make up approximately 57 percent of all college enrollment in the country, which will also increase their presence in the labor market — bringing them in direct competition with men. As college students are getting ready to join the workforce after graduation, it is of the utmost importance to recognize the challenges women will face without the opportunity of equal pay for equal work. It is the responsibility of the current generation to help close the pay gap and allow for pay transparency by standing up for equal rights and voicing the demand of those rights to legislators.