The current wage gap between men and women in the United States is about 20%. In spite of decades of activism and gains in women's wages, the issue has yet to be resolved; there is even some evidence that progress in closing the wage gap has recently slowed down. In order to address this persistent issue, some have proposed solutions such as salary transparency, while others call for new ways of approaching the problem.
One proposed solution is salary transparency. Source A argues that salary transparency is a key step in addressing the wage gap. Elsesser cites a study which found that women in male-dominated fields are paid less than their male counterparts, even when controlling for experience and education. She argues that the only way to address this issue is to make salaries transparent, so that women can negotiate for equal pay.
Another proposed solution is to address the issue at its root cause. Source D argues that the root cause of the wage gap is gender discrimination. Gaag cites a study which found that women are less likely to be hired for jobs that are considered to be "male" jobs, and that they are also paid less when they are hired for these jobs. She argues that the only way to address the wage gap is to address discrimination against women.
The most important change that can be made to promote pay equality is to address discrimination against women. Discrimination against women is the root cause of the wage gap, and it is the only way to address the issue at its source. Gaag's study shows that women are less likely to be hired for jobs that are considered to be "male" jobs, and that they are also paid less when they are hired for these jobs. The only way to address the wage gap is to address discrimination against women.
