Pay Equity Awareness Day

Marisa Demarco [ Tue Apr 20 2010 1:40 PM ]

So 4/20 has been proclaimed by Gov. Bill Richardson to be a day on which we ponder “gender, ethnic and racial pay equity.” He signed an executive order at the end of 2009 demanding state agencies report on salary gaps and correct them.

According to the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women, the state is ranked dead last in the nation for impoverished women with 20 percent of the New Mexico’s female population living in poverty. The commission also broke down average pay by race. The numbers are illuminating:

White

Women $29,500

Men $42,000

African American

Women $24,300

Men $32,400

Asian American

Women $33,100

Men $39,800

Native American

Women $23,200

Men $26,500

Other/Two or More Races

Women $27,600

Men $33,100

Hispanic

Women $22,100

Men $27,600

Public Comments (6)

- DarcyBennet
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Wow [ Tue Apr 20 2010 1:58 PM ]

I had no idea the largest pay disparity would be among whites, and that it would be so striking.
Women in the U.S. make, on average, 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. Even when you take into account that women often occupy lower-paying professions such as teaching (you could say that these are low paying because they're largely populated by women, but OK), and even when you consider maternity leave, there's still a gap of 5-10 cents per dollar that economists can't explain except for gender.
This can't be attributed to education levels, either. Women are outpacing men in earning college degrees. Institutionalized sexism, yo. No good.
- Jessica
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Why even bother with working? [ Tue Apr 20 2010 2:14 PM ]
- PC Police
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excuse me, but [ Tue Apr 20 2010 2:44 PM ]

didn't you mean to say "European American"? Racial equity is right, humph!
- DarcyBennet
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I'm sorry, everyone [ Tue Apr 20 2010 2:46 PM ]

was a semi-serious conversation about this making you feel icky? Jesus.
- black
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I Blame Whitey [ Tue Apr 20 2010 4:17 PM ]

Whitey Ford, that is.
Jesus?
Not so much.
- marisa
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Darcy [ Tue Apr 20 2010 4:28 PM ]

Check this out. In order of income:
White Men $42,000
Asian American Men $39,800
Asian American Women $33,100 Other/Two or More Races Men $33,100
African American Men $32,400
White Women $29,500
Other/Two or More Races Women $27,600 Hispanic Men $27,600
Native American Men $26,500
African American Women $24,300
Native American Women $23,200
Hispanic Women $22,100