If women get paid less because of the threat of chilbearing, shouldn't they also?

Question

get free birth control, abortions, and tax breaks for NOT having children? If that doesn't make sense to you, then maybe a woman's ability to have children isn't the reason for paying them less.

sorry, childbearing

Ethan I think they are locked up in Gitmo for being enemy combatants!

Justin , NOT having kids, and NOT getting married are a financial burden to young single women. BS!

rand, just look at the answers to my questions regarding this. This is what people believe. I for one, think that women are payed less, because men want to have that control over women. Plain and simple. I just can't get anyone else to admit that.

wmcritter, where do I start? OK, I agree, the tax payer should not have to pay for those choices, so STOP giving tax breaks to those who choose to have children. Second, all I am asking for is equal pay for equal work, nothing special. I know not all women choose to have careers, and those are the ones that everything is based on, not those of us who choose to wait until we are educated, standing on our feet, and married. I'd think you would agree with promoting those values, but I guess I was wrong.

Answer 1

Because the white haired men that run this country still consider us baby factories.

Answer 2

In my opinion, it is not the reason, just an excuse that many companies have decided to use. Realistically, that is not a mojor threat to the company unless the woman is already pregnant when they hire her. Then it may reduce production some because of her being pregnant, but even that depends on that job that she is performing. Pregnancy is just a way out that companies think they have found. I am all for equality between the genders as long as both are equally qualified (educationally and physically) and each can perform the job just as well as the other. Hire the best person for the job, whether man or woman, and pay them the same regardless of the response to the gender question on the application.

Answer 3

Come on. Let's get real. It is illegal to adjust someone's rate of pay on the basis of gender in every western country. That, and everyone, male and female suffers from the undervaluing of some forms of labour and the overvaluing of others. It is not just a woman's problem.

This whole thing about "bringing women into the workforce" is perhaps one of the biggest lies capitalism has ever perpetrated on us. In the past women used to cut their kids hair, make them clothes, have time to cook etc etc. We have to pay people for all that now because women have to work and most of the time they in jobs where they are doing those exact same tasks in an environment where business owners can siphon off profit off of something they couldn't thirty years ago. Now don't get me wrong, some of what occurred in this change was good. Women previously had been denied any economic power and lifestyle choice because they did all this cashless, unpaid work. Now they're paid for it and have that ability. Problem is now that profit for someone else has to be taken out of the value of that work, that same labour ultimately results in something less for the labourer than what it had been worth before. What we need to do is support lifestyle choice and liveable incomes for all. Not an economy where business commodifies absolutely everything that we do.....

Answer 4

justs because the company a woman's working for is paying her less, why does it follow that then the government (and indirectly the taxpayers), should compensate them?

Besides, people basically get tax breaks for HAVING children (as they should, since having kids is a financial burden and there is a national interest that families have enough money to provide for their kids).

Besides, the whole threat of childbearing thing is just one theory for why women get paid less.

Answer 5

Why should women get anything for free to NOT have children? It is an individual's choice if they want to have children or not, why force tax payers to pay for those choices? If you want children, then you don't need those things. If you don't want children, then that is your choice, but that is your responsibility, not the tax payers'.

The risk of child bearing is not the only factor in determining pay. Why do you have such a problem with free market forces? Why do you assume that all women want a career instead of children? Not everyone sees the world the way you do, why do you feel the need to force everyone to do things your way?

Answer 6

No. The government shouldn't be involved in private family decisions. Government emphasis on family meddling has given us such great things as the rediculous "gay marriage" debate/election ploy.

As for the private sector, let them make whatever payroll decisions they want. If they want to be stupid enough to pay women less without a good reason, let them do so. Eventually some firms will catch on to the existence of this huge pool of underutilized, underpaid skilled labor, and they'll eat the "sexist" firms alive in the market.

Answer 7

Most companies insurance will pay for BC, my insurance will actually pay for voluntary sterilization and once again i get paid the same as my male coworkers who have the same job title,

if you think about it though, women who have chidren are out alot for doc appointments, then they are out for 6-8 weeks after child birth, (which in many cases they are PAID for even though they arent working). Then they have a child, which means if they ask to take off they are almost alwasy given it off no matter what. They leave work to tend to that child without being penalized in the paycheck for it. So in reality, even if you get paid a little less, you are receiving more in benefits.

Answer 8

It think many companies see women quitting their jobs once they have children, as opposed to men who will continue to work. When I gave out the wedding invites to my coworkers and staff, my boss called me into the office to ask if we were planning to have children. I told him that we have not decided but asked why he thought that was any of his business. He stated that he wanted to know if I was dedicated to staying in my position at our firm.
This is all because of a wedding invite!!! So, to your question, the government does give out free BC, low cost abortions but not tax breaks for women in this country. Oh, BTW, after having my children years later, I now am self employed and one of their biggest competitors. My female staff is paid equally if not better than my male staff. Not because I am sexist, just on merit alone.

Answer 9

Hmm, I've never heard of women getting paid less for threat of childbearing.
If that is true, then yes I agree, except with the tax break. If you are making more money, you don't need a tax break.

Answer 10

look at how many women have kids a house no man and get 4times the amount of work done compared to some men just to proove themselfs and they get paid less. You know i wish i was good with #s so i could have my own business and make pay for abilaty more fair. (if you know anyone who wants to go into business in wisconsin let me know. this issue i would love to work on)

Answer 11

Women get paid less, because as a group they are willing to work for less. A significant number of women are taking second jobs in the family. If women take jobs to supplement their income, they will settle for less. Women who are primary wage earners suffer for it, but it is supply and demand. When jobs become majority female, men get paid less too.