Wages

I like being in the contractor category where I can pick and choose the work I do. On occasion I send in an application or proposal for a longer term contracting opportunity and where there was, at one time, a red-flag that circumvented the "how old are you" age question with more subtle "when did you graduate from high school?", there is also tied to most, a "diversity" question...you know, are you white but not Hispanic type of thing. There is also the M/F question embedded somewhere in all this....plus they want your "full first name" not just the first letter..hmmmm

I've had a number of interesting contract jobs in the last decade and have worked with management in filling out personnel slots.  It is a known or a given that the female grads in nearly any discipline that isn't involved with body bulk and the ability to lift produces talent every bit the equal of males and for the most part a lot more mature for the relative age. That is a bit of a generalization, but what appears is that there are enormously talented and capable entry level women who can go head to head with their male counterparts for just about any job. It is what it is.

Women, however, earn now 80% of what men make in comparable work.  Not so much at the entry level and particularly in today's market, but after a few years and in the higher ranks of employment - a few years into a career - the gap shows up. It just does. It isn't a matter of opinion as that famous line from "My Cousin Vinny" goes, it is a fact.

You might have opinions about things but you aren't entitled to your own set of facts.