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Women Should Not Be Paid The Same As Men
After all the recent grumblings from random celebrities about gender wage equality, I got to thinking; why exactly are women so bent out of shape about earning as much money as men? I mean I can understand wanting equal wage for equal pay and I have no problem with everyone being compensated regardless of gender, race creed, or otherwise. My bone of contention is if women truly desired equity related to wage compensation, why are they asking for the slate of decades of inequity to be wiped clean and for us to start anew? To hell with equal pay, why are women not demanding back pay and gender reparations?
I may not be the first man to say this but its probably been a long time since its been said so listen closely; Women should not be paid as much as men. Women should be paid MORE! It makes zero sense that in 2015 the discussion regarding equity in any capacity is a discussion. Should all eligible candidates be given the same compensation for the same tasks performed? One would hope that question would be rhetorical at this juncture in social evolution but, unfortunately, it still necessitates an answer. The answer is a resounding hell to the yes by the way!
There have been many failed attempts by the governing patriarchs (Republicans and Democrats alike) to project an air of equity for women via legislation such as the recently passed Lily Ledbetter Act. Enacted in 2009, this piece ofâŠlegislation only guarantees women the right to litigate should they uncover disproportionate salary distribution. It is not a mandate for equal wage. Now letâs face it, when was the last time you ran into a group of coworkers openly discussing compensation? More importantly, which one of these coworkers are you convincing to jeopardize their livelihood and testify on your behalf? The fact of the matter is the Lily Ledbetter Act means well but does little to mitigate the underlying issue; Chauvinism.
A portion of salary inequity has been attributed to women in that they are the gender least likely to negotiate during compensation discussions. A man may ask for an additional $5K while women are likely to accept the initial offer as is, as an example. Not taken into account however are gender stigmas during said negotiations and the fact that you are most often negotiating with a man, and as we all know, an aggressive man in the work force is considered a go-getter and an aggressive woman is considered to be menstruating. Said negotiations may not end so favorably for women should they choose to engage.
Also not considered is that men have more experience with all aspects of the workforce including salary negotiations because MEN deliberately kept women out of the work force. So men, please forgive these naĂŻve women for their lack of knowledge for you see, it is deliberately your fault that they lack this knowledge. This is evidenced by the rapid rate in which women have made income strides since being allowed a somewhat even playing field.
We cannot continue to purport the sentiment of equality while disregarding the rights of those we live alongside. We are still a morally bankrupt nation in several industries as it relates to equity of representation financially and otherwise (Corp, NCAA, Law Enforcement, etcâŠ) When any business files for bankruptcy, they have to pay their creditors first. America is indebted to all those that have historically labored unfairly for its success and if we are ever to truly atone, we need to pay what we owe.
Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, Iâve posted the same pic of me in the hospital during my temporary and untimely demise in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to ânormalâ, I asked Eric âWhyâd you take the pics?â And he said, âI knew you would want to write about it if you lived.â Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.
You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6â4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her âYo, is that dude bothering you?â She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.
Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like âWhy are the other consultants making more money than you?â I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that âYou need to hire Alfred!â, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, âWhat if you didnât have health insurance when this happened?â I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.
My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor âWell Iâm not going anywhere.â She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says âWell Iâm not going anywhere either!â That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.
Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.
From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a âEnrique Pollazo!â And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!
Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.
Rest in Peace Eric. âBe Good.â
I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on writing your first book, presented by the Harlem chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Alongside Jim St. Germain, Author – A Stone of Hope: A Memoir and Dr. Keneshia Nicole Grant, Author – The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black Voters and the Realignment of American Politics in the 20th Century.  We opined on pain points, benefits and strategies regarding our inaugural voyages into authorship. Feel free to watch for your self and I hope this provides some insight to all those looking to make the same voyage. Enjoy!
