Gender Pay Gap

It is infuriating - you know you can do the job, you know you have the skills, and you know that you have the support from co-workers. Yet a man has been picked for the position. How many times has this happened to you? Me - more than I want to count.

In my case, the man picked is usually less competent, has less education, and doesn't have the people skills (without more training). What he does have is commonality among the rank and file hiring him.

From the stats in this article it will be a very long time before this changes. When are we, women, going to demand more? When are we, women, going to unite and make the change happen?

At this rate, American women won’t see equal pay until 2058 http://wapo.st/18TwUuc

Marriage - what do we really want?

I was reading a story for the Washington Post recently on marriage; What men (and women) want in a marriage, today vs. yesterday. It was a good read, but it got me thinking ....

1977 - 1/2 of women and just under 1/2 of men polled said that they would like to have a marriage where the husband and wife both have jobs, both do housework, and both take care of the children.

2011 - 3/4 of women and about 2/3 of men polled said that they would like to have a marriage where the husband provides for the family and the wife takes care of the house and children.

Interesting, isn't it? How many women do you meet that complain their husband or significant other do not help around the house. Come to find out, that although many women complain abundantly about the issue ... 3/4 of the women say they want that type of marriage.

The article noted that the results of the poll where basically the same no matter the age or the income level of the household.

A question that I have, that the article didn't answer, is in regards to society. Does the overwhelming societal pressures inhibit women from expressing their true desires? In other words, if 3/4 of the women polled said they would prefer to be stay-at-home moms and the husbands would be out taking in the working environment - does society's view of stay-at-home moms sway women from admitting this desire?

What are your thoughts?