Summary: There IS a wage gap. It will never go away.

We hear a lot of discussion regarding the infamous 'gender wage gap', and a lot of folks on both sides of the debate with obvious agendas spewing statistics that are obviously untrue.

Feminists assure us it is in the 77/ 100 range. Economists put the number closer to 97/100. MRA's will assure us women make more.

But men do make more. Men will always make more. All the legislation in the world will not change that, and simple market forces explain why.

Let us presume Bill and Jane are both level zed cogs in Megacorp. Bill and Jane had cis-sexist shitlord parents who gave them gender defining names. Bill is a man. Jane is a woman.

They do the same job. Megacorp is way PC so pay is transparent. Bill and Jane can see each others paychecks. Any sign of favoritism is crab bucketed back into place.

Jane does better work, but Bill is much more productive. They have the same job title, education, and seniority, so they get paid the same, in spite of the variations in their output. $50k a year.

Bill looks at Jane and says "Fuck it, she only produces x units and gets paid the same as me. I'm gunna relax a bit."

Jane looks at Bills shoddy workmanship and (now) equalized output (thanks to Bills deliberate work slowage) and realizes she will get the next promotion. She is doing better work, and just as much of it.

That night Bills pal with a painting company calls. "Bill, we just scored a giant contract. I need hands and I know you did some painting back in college. It's hard, dirty work. carrying ladders, up and down stairs all day in a breathing mask and coveralls. I can offer you $60k."

Bill says 'lemme sleep on it. The money would be sweet, but I like my air conditioned office at Megacorp.'

Bill goes to work and sees Jane. "Hey Jane, hypothetically speaking, would you paint buildings for a $10K raise?"

"Gosh, no."

Bill goes to his supervisor and says "Hey Boss, I've been offered a job for $10K more. I think I'm going to take it. That's 10K a year towards my kids college fund. It's hard work, but my kid is worth it."

Boss knows it costs a fortune to hire and train new people. He realizes it will cost him more than $10K to lose Bill.

"Bill," Boss says, "I don't want to lose you. You are too valuable to the company. I can't give you a raise as long as you are a level zed cog, it's illegal. So how about I give you a promotion to level blivot cog, with a $10,000 raise?"

And there it is. The wage gap that will never go away.

Within a corporation (tribe, movement, whatever) you are not competing for resources in a closed system. The worker who demands the boss pay them the same based on title, rather than merit, is not competing with other workers for parity. They are competing with the external job market that is always calling.

Men are willing to do the hard work that needs doing.

There will be no air conditioned offices without MEN building them, and maintaining the infrastructure to keep them air conditioned. If too many soft men try to compete with women for the cushy jobs, competition drives down prices- at the same time putting upward pressure on wages for hard work. Not enough HVAC techs? Means the HVAC tech can charge more, and then try to hire away anyone willing to do harder work for more money.

Megacorp does not compare Bills work to Jane's.

Megacorp compares external wage pressures to internal labor needs.

Even if Jane produces better product at the same rate as Bill, Bill is still the more valuable employee- because (abundance mentality), he has other offers Jane simply will never take- or ever be offered.

Lessons learned: Women won't do the hard jobs, so they won't get paid as much. Simple economics.