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Comment by quinnchr | Hacker News Reader

Well call it what you will, there is obviously some sort of gap. It seems a bit disingenuous to me to point out that a wage gap doesn't exist because women are payed the same as men but on average work lower paying jobs, or take time out for children.

Those things should make you question why women not men are expected to take time out of their career to raise children, why women on average end up in lower paying jobs.

Ultimately the effect is gap in average income between men and women. So yes you sort of are splitting hairs, while ignoring real systemic issues that affect everyone, not just women.

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>Those things should make you question why women not men are expected to take time out of their career to raise children, why women on average end up in lower paying jobs.

No, those things should make the feminists spouting this nonsense ask those questions. Instead, the continue to spew deliberately misleading nonsense, knowing that people are sympathetic to "women get paid less for the same work", but are much less sympathetic to "women choose to work fewer hours".

So on what information do you base the assumption that women choose to work fewer hours? And are you denying that there is in fact an income gap for women?

Minorities also have an income gap and statistically speaking work fewer hours. Are you saying that's a choice too?

Why are you asking me to make your argument for you? If you want to take a position on job choices and availability go right ahead, you don't need me to do it for you.

I'm asking you to clarify your position.

You seem to acknowledge that an income gap exists for women. You also asserted that it was because they choose to work less. I'd like to know if there's anything to back up your assertions other than your opinion.

Does you opinion hold for other groups that have an income gap and on average work less? If so can you see how that would be problematic?

You have now changed your argument from 'wage gap' to 'income gap'. Those two are not the same thing.

A 'wage gap' implies getting paid less for the same job. No good. An 'income gap' implies someone earns less than someone else. That seems perfectly acceptable.

There are plenty of occupations where women are paid less for the same job. I'm perfectly happy to keep using the term wage gap.

I switched to the term income gap because others were arguing about the gap in aggregate.

If - Men and women with the same employment histories get paid similar amounts - Women earn less, on average, because they work less - Some women get paid less than men for the same job

Does it not follow that men are equally impacted by the "wage gap".

And if so, how would that influence your usage of the term?

Also, out of curiosity I looked through the first couple pages of Google results for "wage gap" and every single link I found makes the point that the gap depends on occupation and other factors.

Where exactly is this misinformation being spewed, I can't seem to find it? What I can seem to find is plenty of sites calling the wage gap a myth, and in fact when you start typing "wage gap" in Google the first suggestion is "wage gap myth." So in fact it seems the exact opposite of what you say is true.

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