The American Pay-Gap Won’t Close til 2058

In pretty miserable news, a new study has set out to pinpoint the time at which the gender pay-gap would cease to exist. Next year? Five year’s time? Try 43. And that’s just the average number of years across America. In states such as Wyoming, women may not be on a level playing field until perhaps 2159. No really, that’s more than half way through the NEXT century. None of us will see the dawn of that year.

We’ll just give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor. Despite the efforts of Emma Watson, Patricia Arquette and countless more, it seems inequality is sticking around for a while longer. On the plus side, at least we’re on the way, right? Our work around the world to bridge this gap will never have been a waste.

Now who’s to say it’s going to pan out like this, and surely, at least in Ireland, we’re a little more on the way to balancing the scales. Still though, horrifying findings. The report was released?by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

Florida is expected to reach equality with pay sooner than all others. The study predicts this will happen in 2038, however, the study’s lead author explained that both men and women in this state are generally on a lower income so there’s not much of a gap to do away with.
?A lot of [the wage gap] has to do with occupation,? said Cynthia Hess. ?Women go into the fields that pay less.?

Arriving at their various state-specific conclusions, the resarchers?used Census trend data to best predict when each state will close their gender wage gap. Based on each state’s rate of progress from 1959 to current day, the group estimates the national wage gap will close sometime in the year 2058?or 43 years from now.

Daily Beast