I realize that I'm not exactly blowing the lid off of gender inequality here, but I stumbled across this article, where CNNMoney.com listed the highest paid men and women in American business. The story can be linked here, or by clicking the highlighted text below. I'll present the list, and when you look at it, see what jumps out at you.
Eugene M. Isenberg, CEO Nabors Industries - $71.4 million
Ray R. Irani, CEO Occidental Petroleum - $70 million
Lew Frankfort, CEO Coach - $62.3 million
Barry Diller, CEO InterActive Corp. - $61.5 million
Scott McGregor, CEO Broadcom - $57.4 million
The highest paid women:
Safra Catz, CFO Oracle - $26.1 million
Susan Decker, CFO Yahoo - $24.3 million
Suzanne M. Nora Johnson, Goldman Sachs - $23.1 million
Carly Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard - $22.3 million (severance package)
Zoe Cruz, Acting President, Morgan Stanley - $21.1 million
I'm not saying that any of these people deserve that kind of money, especially the crooks in the petroleum business, but I was amazed at the disparity between the pay of the men versus the women. Particularly when you consider the businesses represented by the women. Highly successful companies and leaders in their industries, yet the salaries are less than half of their male counterparts.
Are the women doing a quarter of the work? No. Are they 25% as successful? No. So why the big difference?
What really rankles me is that it screws with my ideal life of being the stay-at-home house husband. I could carve out a nice life here taking care of the house and [kids, cat, plants] while the wife earned the household dough.
It's true everywhere, though, isn't it? Even in sports, where the leading money winners on the LPGA tour earn much less than their male counterparts. Here's the list of the top five money winners on the women's tour this year:
Lorena Ochoa $2,124,122
Karrie Webb $1,873,753
Annika Sorenstam $1,769,408
Cristie Kerr $1,472,112
Mi Hyun Kim $1,272,318
Karrie Webb $1,873,753
Annika Sorenstam $1,769,408
Cristie Kerr $1,472,112
Mi Hyun Kim $1,272,318
...while the top five PGA golfers earned substantially more this year...
Tiger Woods $9,941,563
Jim Furyk $6,429,016
Phil Mickelson $4,256,506
Geoff Ogilvy $4,228,870
Vijay Singh $4,163,832
Jim Furyk $6,429,016
Phil Mickelson $4,256,506
Geoff Ogilvy $4,228,870
Vijay Singh $4,163,832
While it's true that Mickleson has bigger boobs than Annika, does that justify earning four times more? A million four is pretty decent money, but I'd sure as Hell rather hang with Christie than Vijay. Hey, any of you ladies need a caddy?
Maybe that's why Michelle Wie wants to play on the men's tour?
Ya think?
5 comments:
Why are the women CFO's and not CEO's???
And they should earn MORE cause I'm sure they handle everything that the man can't handle....you know with the lack of the multi-tasking gene!! HAHAHAHA
I noticed that, too. There is a glass ceiling for women in business, and maybe CFO is the top?
I think the men should all have pirate names.
Oh this just makes me sick!! It's 2006 for crissakes. Things have NOT gotten better, no matter how many feminist revolutions come and go.
I used to be a member of NOW for many years. Until they went all apeshit about a rich white woman not getting to be a member of the Masters at Augusta (whatever the name of that golf club is). I felt there were so many more important things that needed to be done with average women and discrimination on a broad scale, than fighting this symbolic fight. After reading your post, I guess I can see their point more clearly. The top is as good of a place as any to start fighting.
The top is definitely the place to start. Especially since those with the most power can scream the loudest. I feel your pain.
The Augusta National Golf Club is a lightning rod for such fights, and Michelle will have a battle on her hands if she ever decides to press the issue and try to play the Masters.
Old-school southerners are the worst. They still fly the Confederate flag at NASCAR races.
this is absolutely insane. i knew that there was still a massive chasm in earnings, but to see the figures is a whole 'nother thing!!! there really is no excuse. we still have so far to go.
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