OPINION: Equal What?

By Roger Madon

Today, April 12th, is Equal Pay Day.  Based on the calculations of a number of women’s organizations April 12th marks the day that women start earning the same as men do.  Nonsense!

Organizations such as the National Organization for Women and other feminist groups have been arguing for decades that women make less money than men for performing the same duties.   Now I am not a source of arcane statistical information but allow me the opportunity to provide you my anecdotal experience in an area of work about which I do know something-the practice of law.

It is no secret that women do better than men on the Law School Aptitude Test, the test that most top ranking law schools use to select applicants.  However due to the discriminatory practices against women by top ranking private law schools admissions are divided equally, 50% men and 50% women.  

It is also no secret that the major law firms in the city in which I live, New York, hire both men and women in approximately equal number.  Why is it then that most partners in these major law firms wind up being men?  Simple.  Generally women are unwilling to make a life time career of working a 24/7 work week demanded of these lawyers since their biology demands rather that they have and raise children.  

Watch, I am sure to get a nasty call from the National Organization of Women.