The Paycheck Unfairness Act

Current Event: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-06-05/equal-pay-women-senate-vote/55400316/. 

In June of last year a Paycheck Fairness Act was proposed and rejected in Congress. This Democratic bill asks for pay equality in the workplace. It would include regulations that make sure that differences in pay are based on abilities and education and not on the person’s gender. It would also allow employees to ask about wages without having any consequences. There is also extra protection in there for sexual discrimination that includes compensatory or punitive damages. This bill failed 52-47 which was no surprise to the Democrats. The Republicans had thus far been against most women issues and they refuse to acknowledge the fact that women are not equal to men in the eyes of the government. This issue is important to us because it reinforces the fact that many people recognize that there is a gender wage gap and many are refusing to see it on purpose. This is a prime example of this kind of mistreatment. 

This week’s lecture has been about the gender wage gap and the major differences between a male worker and a female worker. While this article just focuses on the productive labor and not the reproductive labor, it makes a very good point. It is telling us that we don’t make enough money for us to be considered equal. People need to recognize the fact that women hit the glass ceiling and it needs to be broken through. It has to start in the government but the government is run by white men who serve those who sponsor them. It makes it difficult for women to support a family and especially when they are divorced. It goes to show that it is not just about women picking pink collar jobs. We don’t pick the lower paid job; they just are given to us. After all, women that do the same work as a man are often to be found to make less. 

The governmental institution is causing the oppression through the decisions it makes. By making this decision Congress is saying that women are not that important right now. In fact, it is more important that the small businesses feel safe than if the women feel safe. That actually is said in this article. They didn’t want to burden small business. Sure they didn’t, because guess who owns most businesses? You guessed it, men. The government represents the people but lately it seems as if they are represented the white middle aged male. I’m sorry, did I say lately. We might as well just put on those high lacey collars and sit with our babies on our lap all day. I mean, seriously, this is primitive stuff. Their decisions are a reflection on our country and in this case they are saying that oppression is okay.

This is my train of thought….isn’t America supposed to be based on equality for all? I’m not talking about equality on the surface. I am talking of deep equality for all people regardless of their sex or race. If there is anything that proves that we are not basing any of our governmental decisions on equality it is this bill. What is so sad (and at the time enlightening) about this class is the realization that there have to be more than a billion acts of oppression just in this country. We are all supporting it in what we say and what we do. It is time that we look discrimination in its face and say that it is not okay. This knowledge is nothing if we cannot apply it. Be it oppression at home in our own worlds or oppression out in a large institution like the government things need to be changed. Intelligent people should know better but they don’t. This bill should be passed if for nothing else but to help restore women’s faith in humanity. What we need is support and from the right places. Too bad they are too self-involved that they cannot look outside their box and see those that need help. But who wants to bother with a beggar when they are surrounded by kings?

-Rachael Belcher