In Why Men Earn More: The Startling Truth Behind the Pay Gap and What Women Can Do About It, Dr. Warren Farrell argues that wage discrimination against women is mostly myth. Farrell identifies 25 choices that increase earning ability and says women earn less due to their commitment to a well-balanced life. Women are more likely to choose careers in the arts or social sciences, which pay less than those in the hard sciences or technology. Women are reluctant to travel, commute long distances or relocate for a job, Farrell claims. Men routinely do all of these things to get ahead in business, he says. He argues that these choices must be considered when comparing men and women’s salaries. The author of several books, including the 2001 bestseller The Myth of Male Power, Farrell has served on the National Organization of Women board of directors, so his current thesis will certainly be controversial. If nothing else, Why Men Earn More is an important reminder for men and women to consider the trade-offs one makes when choosing a job.
Faye Jones is Dean of Learning Resources at Nashville State Technical Community College. Her doctoral dissertation was on Victorian working women.
