Accepted Articles

Abstract: Women have traditionally been underrepresented in jobs that require physical strength, speed, or stamina. There is good reason.  A firefighter, for example, must prove he can carry 100 pounds down a ladder if it is necessary to rescue someone from a burning building.  Some women have claimed that this unfairly discriminates against them because they lack the physical strength to pass the mandated tests. As a result, some fire departments have provided exemptions to women who apply for these positions, reducing the speed or strength that is required for their male counterparts.  Does gender equality supersede policies even when they involve human health and safety. ​Statistically, women earn about 80 cents of every dollar that men earn. This has prompted many to claim that the gender pay gap is a result of discrimination against women.  Could it be that other factors are in play? Women tend to gravitate more often to lower-paying jobs such as sales clerks and receptionists.  Is this somehow the result of systemic sexism?  Jobs that are considered dirty, physically demanding, or dangerous are much more often filled by men than women. Do employers pay higher wages for these jobs due to market demand (since no one will take the job if it doesn’t pay well), or are they being paid more simply because they are men? Shouldn’t the real question be not what they make but why men and women make the salaries that they do?

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