Thursday, June 18, 2009

Feminism Fridays -the GAO's report on the wage gap

Yes, there has been a narrowing in the pay gap between men and women. Thanks to, in some part at least, bra burners.

The GAO, otherwise known as the "investigative arm of Congress," is an independent, non-partisan agency whose mission is to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilites. They provide information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan, nonideological, fair, and balanced.

Here is a report on the pay gap in federal jobs, published on May 17th, 2009. It concludes that although the pay gap has narrowed from 28 cents to 11 cents on the dollar from 1988 to 2007, still 7 cents of that cannot be accounted for by measurable factors such as occupations of men and women, experience, and education level. This 7 cent gap is "unexplainable"

Because this gap is inexplainable, it does not confirm the existence of discrimination, but at the same time it does not dispute it.

Please understand this report, published less than three months ago, and tell me feminists are "fighting fights that have already been won."

On April 28th, 2009 President Obama declared it National Equal Pay Day. Please read his proclamation here.

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