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The days of paying, promoting, or hiring on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, or any criterion other than performance are over. Education, experience, job performance, and yes, bargaining for higher pay should be considered, but not gender.

As a woman, I take exception to the fact that I would ever be hired, fired, given a raise, or given a promotion based on my gender. That is a condescending approach which is frankly offensive and degrading. It is also an archaic way of thinking. The "old boy network" of several decades ago would have concluded that because an employee is a woman, or of a minority race, she (or he) would not be capable of achieving a higher position or higher pay without the help from the man in charge, who was traditionally white. Obviously, this is not true.

So, pay should only be based on performance. Raises should be given as if the person doling them out was wearing a blindfold except as pertains to performance. If someone is doing a good job, they should be rewarded. That being said, however, it is absolutely crucial to note that many women still find it hard to ask for a raise even if they believe their performance warrants more money. Women also have a difficult time negotiating for a higher salary upon being hired.

If there is still a discrepancy in pay rates for men and women doing the same job with the same experience and performance, its cause may lie in the fact that societal norms don't (won't? can't?) allow women on the whole to demand and expect the equality without being perceived in a harsh light. Unless this type of stereotyping ceases, it may never be possible to gain the salary equality that women's organizations seek.

Companies in the US should NOT be required to continue hiring based on quotas or through affirmative action programs. Laws are in effect to banish prejudicial treatment in hiring practices. The only thing that should change in order to even the playing field is to use more enforcement of the current laws and to expose behavior that is not up to par with what our society expects - fairness for all people.

Learn more about this author, Jenni Lockwood.
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