20 January 2017

Dear Future President:

Every day women around the world work hard for their money, but only receive a fraction of what men make. Not only is there a growing wage gap between genders, there is also segregation between races. There have been many studies regarding the wage gap and confirming the difference in incomes between men and women, between whites and blacks, even those with the same occupation. The wage gap is a big topic, especially to feminists, because it takes females, on average, approximately 16 months to make the amount of money a male would make in 12 months. This inequality has brought strong arguments to the table and it is time that it is settled, once and for all. All workers should receive an income based on their productivity and responsibility, rather than their age, gender, or race; I trust that you can make that change for our country.

Many people argue that the 77-cent wage gap between sexes is a calculation of the average incomes of men and women and is not calculated from those of the same occupation. Yes, this is true, but that does not mean that the wage gap between genders does not exist in the same field of employment. Based on the study done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 7 out of the 534 jobs studied paid women more than men. The average pay of women was approximately 60.6 percent of what men in the same occupation made, resulting in a $473 difference per week. The wage gap is not entirely due to gender discrimination; however, according to a study conducted by two Cornell University economists, 41.1 percent is due to discrimination between men and women. Although the seventy-seven-cent gap is an approximate value based on the average of all wages between men and women, that does not mean that there is not a wage gap present between those of the same occupation. Every year many women celebrate Equal Pay Day, which is usually in April and represents how much longer females have to work to make the amount of money a male made in the previous year. This is a representation of all of the extra work women have to go through to just earn what a man would make in a year. It is unjust! It is unfair! It is unacceptable!

Although we may not think about the income inequality at all hours of the day, it has been proven to be connected to many social issues. Declines in educational performance, increases in mental health issues, and growth of drug and alcohol abuse may be linked to the wage gap. As if the wage gap between men and women wasn’t enough, because many females have to take off time on unpaid maternity leave, the wage gap widens even more. After a woman becomes a mother, her income decreases because it is assumed that she will have to spend more time taking care of her child. Contrarily, when a man becomes a father, his income increases because he is seen as the main support for the family. Many reasons women have lower incomes than men are due to things that they cannot control. This shouldn’t affect their pay.

The income inequality that is present in our country should not be blindly accepted and something should be done to fix it. The United States is one of the few countries around the entire world that does not have the right to a paid maternity leave. A part of life that most women experience has caused them an even greater difference in income. Since the beginning of our nation, women have not been paid equally, hence the multiple women’s rights movements, and it is time that we receive justified pay for or hard work. Due to the presentation of these facts, I hope you can recognize the injustice that is our pay system and make an effort to fix the structure to a point where it is fair and equal for all. I ask that you please consider these pleas to make our country great again.

Sincerely,

Ruby B.

Bibliography

Furchtgott-Roth, Diana. "The Gender Wage Gap Is a Myth." The Wage Gap, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010529236&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lafa43079&jsid=7f58481350d270293c3f637fefff642c. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

Glynn, Sarah Jane. "The Gender Wage Gap Is Caused by a Variety of Factors." Income Inequality, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010979215&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lafa43079&jsid=eb776cafe852cd69183788336215e7d3. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

Kraushaar, Josh. "Quality Education Would Improve Income Inequality." Income Inequality, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010979228&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=lafa43079&jsid=cdb182d8f0e08e02c593f07ff1dbfd30. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.