Pittsburgh Woman Creates Gender Pay Gap Awareness By Asking Men To Pay More
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At first sight, Elana Schlenker's pop-up store, Less Than 100, which was open in Pittsburgh during the month of April appeared just like any other gift store. However, when shoppers went to pay, they were in for a surprise. That's because while men paid full price, women received a 24% discount.
Though that may appear to be blatant discrimination, Elana was merely abiding by the store's slogan "pay what you are paid". And since women in Pennsylvania get paid an average of 76 cents for every dollar men earn for the same job, it is only fair that they pay less.
As if the store's pricing policy was not enough to get the message across, Elana also distributed pamphlets. Entitled "What Are Women Worth?", it explained the status of the wage gap both in Pennsylvania and across the country, and also gave women tips on how to better negotiate salaries. A 2015 study conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that although the rate of women's income has been rising, men still earn more in every state in the country.
But though paying women lower wages is a shame, forking out the full price at Less Than 100 wasn't necessarily a bad thing. That's because the proceeds of all sales went directly to the local artists that had created the beautiful wares. During its month-long tenure, the shop was visited by hundreds of women who wanted to support her mission and the local artists whose work was being showcased. Some even brought in their kids and grandkids to educate them about the importance of keeping the gender wage debate alive. Elana says that while she received some grief about the "discrimination," most men were extremely gracious and happy to pay the full price.
Not surprisingly, the unusual venture has drawn worldwide attention. This November, Elana will partner with photographer Tammy Mercure and open a Less than 100 pop-up store in New Orleans.She believes starting the debate in Louisiana is important given that the state boasts the nation's widest gender wage disparity. Here, women earn a whopping 34 cents less than their male counterparts. While she has received several requests from California, it may be close to the bottom of her list. That's because the "Golden State" is one of the most progressive when it comes to wage equality and, therefore, does not need much help.
Though the Less than 100 project will not resolve the wage disparity, it is a thought-provoking way to bring to the forefront an issue that is increasingly causing a lot of angst among women. Fortunately, Elana is not the only one trying to change the unfair system. Patricia Arquette made an impassioned plea for gender wage equality in her acceptance speech at the Oscars this February. Ellen Pao the interim CEO of Reddit recently announced that new employees will be forbidden from negotiating salaries. She believes that men are better negotiators than women, and, therefore, tend to receive higher wages!
What's encouraging is that male CEOs are also joining the fight! Earlier this month, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff launched a company-wide program to address the issue. Called "Women Surge" it aims to eliminate all gender-based pay disparities, hire and promote more women and ensure that they are better included in meetings! With all these visionaries taking the lead, it will not be long before gender pay inequality is something we will only read about in history books!
Resources: huffingtonpost.com,lessthan100.org,msnbc.com,abc.go.com
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296 Comments
gso44over 9 yearsI AGREE! JUST BECAUSE WOMEN ARE FEMALE AND THE WEAKER GENDER DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD GET PAID LESS. I am a big feminist and this really makes me mad. EVERYONE should be treated equally. Whether their black of white, or a Christian or a Catholic. Whether their a male or a female. As Anne said below, THIS IS NOT THE PAST! If we keep on doing this, THIS WILL BE OUR FUTURE! Think about the riots in Baltimore. If we don't fix this your town might become like Baltimore. Next thing you know, people are gong to start a World War 3! Think about the single mothers with children. They have to care for their children without help! Getting a lower salary then males doesn't help at all. If this continues, the single mothers won't get enough money to feed her kids, and then the kids die! That's how bad this is. For the people who shrug of this article and don't care about these women, are selfish. I not normally the mean bird in the flock, but, its true. Think of all the women in Saudi Arabia and Iran, who get stoned to death every day because they won't worship the god that your supposed to. ITS OUTRAGEOUS! Males are taking over the world now that their hasn't been any female rulers recently. In other countries around the world women are not even allowed to run for ANY political office. In other countries, women are treated like dirt! Women deserve to be independent. Do what they want to do. Males shouldn't rule over women! We should stand up for what's right. Around the world their are smart women, but since the live there they aren't allowed to show their cleverness because they would get killed it they did so. These women are more then capable enough to be president,but they are DISCRIMINATED against. People laugh at us just because we are weaker in body strength. When men look at us they see women weak people on the outside. But on the inside, we are more then that. WE ARE FIGHTERS. WE ARE SURVIVORS. WE PERSERVERE THROUGH THE END UNTIL WE MAKE IT. WE. WON'T. BACK. DOWN. "THIS IS NOT THE PAST'- Meover 9 yearsBUT IT WAS IN THE PAST just because men get paid more doesn't mean you are bad to them
- Anneover 9 yearsTHIS IS NOT IN THE PAST! THIS IS THE PRESENT AND WILL BE OUR FUTURE IF WE DON'T STOP IT. IF YOU AGREE, COMMENT, OR END YOUR COMMENT WITH,"THIS IS NOT THE PAST!" If you disagree, think about what you are supporting: SEXISM. There are different forms of sexism, this is just one of the many. To the girls who disagree, you might have to deal with this in the future. It won't be inaccurate then. To the boys who disagree, think about all of the women in your life: your mother, your sister, your grandma, one of your cousins, one of your friends, one of your teachers, any woman (or girl). Would you want to inflict this on them? Walk a mile in their shoes. Ask them about it (i.e. Have they ever dealt with it? If so, what kinds? What happened? How did it affect you?). To everyone who disagrees, imagine trying to support your entire family, living paycheck to paycheck, while a male coworker gets paid more (for the same job), and he spends the money on stuff he doesn't need. Imagine growing up, loving politics, liking the government, and wanting to be president when you're older. You grow up, have straight A's, ace tests, and fly through college. Then when you run for president, you are discriminated and voted against JUST for being a woman. Imagine working your way up to a billion dollar company and coming up with a perfect idea that would help a lot of people, your company, AND get you a promotion, but your idea is neglected because it was made by you, a woman. Imagine being able to do everything a man can do, yet you are not treated equal. What I just told you to imagine was things that most women have to deal with EVERY day. Rethink your opinion. REMEMBER: IF YOU AGREE (which I hope now you do), COMMENT, OR END YOUR COMMENT WITH, "THIS IS NOT IN THE PAST!"
felicisowlover 9 yearsHonestly, just because you don't support this doesn't mean it's sexism. This person is making men pay more. It's based on how much men earn on an average, which is (on average) more than women. But seriously, I think society is trying to change feminism, and that's good. But they didn't completely change feminism. Actually, society is being more.. I don't know how to say this, discriminated towards MEN instead of WOMEN now because they want to make this right. But switching this unequality from women to men is NOT right. Plus, feminism is VERY different from equality. I mean, there are different situations, and making men pay more (just based on the average) is wrong, wrong, wrong.
bitsplsover 9 yearsYas! someone who knows something! u go gurl!
hemmguinover 9 yearsI think this is a great thing that this woman is doing and I agree with the quote in the picture; it is about time that women and men got equal pay. There are a lot of people on the opposing side with very good points, saying that women were mistreated in the past and men are being mistreated now, but it isn't mistreating men. I also have a few questions for the government: Why are women paid less than men? Why do you say everyone is equal when women get paid less?
cocolletteover 9 yearsi thought this kind of thing was over.
- Averyover 9 yearsIt is fair because how women have been treated in the past. We need to stand up for what we believe in.
- JCover 9 yearsI don't see why this is unfair... I agree with REMINDER, all this time we have been paid less then males when when do the same amount of work as they do. If you have the same job as a male and do a better job but are stilled payed less... what's your motivation? While it may not seem fair to some people I believe that the point is to raise awareness of the inequality. It's a political statement. Plus it's good for the store's business if it makes it on the news and in sites like this. It make people want to look into it and either support it or rant about it, either way your spreading the political message. Kudos to the owner.
- girlsrulover 9 yearswhoo!go girls!!!
- olover 9 yearsReally? Feminism is ruining everything
babybobover 9 yearsnot exactly, only MODERN feminism is ruining. our last generation fought for equality for all of the 20th century and what thanks do they get?! #killallmen. look it up.- cocolletteover 9 yearsso you want everything to stay exactly how it is? you want women to be unfairly treated???
- hemmguinover 9 yearsI'm not going to argue with you because I don't want to argue. I respect your opinion, but you need to respect mine as I present it to you: Feminism isn't ruining everything. It's a good thing and it earned women their civil rights several years ago. The US says we are all equal but are we really if women aren't getting paid the same as men? You might think this is a small problem and should just let it go because the mistreatment of women was "in the past." News flash: It's not in the past! It's still happening today and it's not just what this article was about. I think this woman is doing the right thing by giving women who come to her store discounts. I have presented my opinion. I respected your opinion and I want you to respect mine. Remember I don't want to argue with you.
00016697over 9 yearsFor woman this is a big step, but for men it is not fair!! I so totes do not agree with them!! : (- Reminderover 9 yearsOkay for the people not understanding and getting heated up, think of what women are paid and men are paid as two different currencies. It would only be fair that they each pay what is equal in that currency, right? So if men get paid 100,000 a year, and woman get paid 76,000 a year, (for the same job) then men paying 1 dollar out of that 100,000 is the same fraction of 76 cents out of a woman's salary.
- hemmguinover 9 yearsI agree with you completely
