For the first time in my life, I am right in the mix of the news.

Too bad it isn't good news.

I opened up the paper yesterday to read that, according to a new study by the American Association of University Women, women out of college make 80 percent less than their male colleagues. Ten years later, they earn only 69 percent of what men make.

This doesn't even make sense although it isn't really news to me; I mean, I experience that reality every time I open my paycheck.

What are we to make of this?

Is my mortgage 69 percent less than a man's?

Do I pay 69 percent less to fill up my car with gas?

Do I put in 69 percent less in the coin box on the express bus?

Is my Peet's latte 69 percent cheaper?

Is my Safeway food bill 69 percent less than the man's in front of me? (and, you know, I hate it when your groceries are all rung up and the little ATM machine asks you if $115.73 is OK. No, it's not OK; I'd like to get the same amount of food for a lot less, if you don't mind!)

Where is the justice in this?

So here's what I propose � women, give 69 percent back (or, what apears to be our fair share).

Your boss asks you to take on that new client? Do 69 percent of the work.

Got an eight-hour workday? After 69 percent of the day is done, go home.

Have a school-age daughter? Tell her to do only 69 percent of her homework.

Husband expects you to keep a clean house, cook a nice meal and take the kids to and fro the doctor, orthodontist, soccer practice, guitar lessons, tutoring and school events? Well, you do the math. That might mean you will only be able take little Johnny to the dentist and only halfway home � if he complains, you can always tell him to suck it up, just like on the baseball diamond.

And when it gets to the real 69 in the bedroom, give your man just 69 percent of your body (and you pick the parts), focus, lovemaking skills ... and his pleasure. Wonder how he'll like that.

I am not an uber-feminist. I love men. I want them as equal partners in creating a society that offers opportunities to all, and respects and nurtures everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, religion.

But I am trying to support and take care of my little family, my community and my world 100 percent. Don't I deserve the same courtesy.
Kat Wilder's My So-Called Midlife

are you also aware that in the last few years that gap in payment has actually gone up meaning we are moving BACKWARD not forwards. I think some women have become so complacent and comfortable in the fact that we can vote and work without much issue that they stopped fighting for equality... The reality is compensation should be baseed on education, performance, seniorty in the company, effort and attitude NOT on gentials or month cycles.

But it is not. We worked so hard in the 60's to raise women's consciousness - they did even realize they were being discriminated against in so many ways. We did get somewhere after decades of hard work. My generation has retired and women are being treated like little baby girls who need protection against all those nasty men out there. And those nasty men are the ones in charge. What a mess. Just last week five boys made sure stupid, innocent, unable to understand, girls were protected against making any hard hard decisions about their bodies when the five boys of the Supreme Court raped us again. Did you feel that, girls? We are making giant steps backwards.

Well said Kat. I work for a company that supports women in positions that were typically male. BUT, my boss, who has no college education, has changed jobs within the same industry five times in the total of five years that he's been doing this, makes more than double of myself, who has a college education, and has been in the same job for 9 years. Lovely. I don't want my bosses job, nor would I. I just think the entire thing stinks, I think I will do half of my work tomorrow, because that's what I'm worth. They told me so. What would the world become if we did half, or even 69%. So interesting.

I likely will regret this considering some of my personal views but I am really curious.

Do these studies look at men and women's wages in general as opposed to comparing wages in a specific industry or company? I can see how wages might vary between men and women in general, I can certainly see it happening in certain industries while in others it would be unfair to see a difference. I would be appalled if a company paid people differently due to gender.

Brandy, most companies pay women 69% of what men make - in the same jobs in the same company. Sometimes they sit side by side. Some companies discriminate even more.

this applies all the way up to ceo and all the way down the chain - and is true in my industry as well- I am well aware that my male co worker (same position) with LESS education makes MORE than me...

Salary discrimination in the UK is completely illegal.
However, it has been discovered that women in general are earning less than men, because their hours (in the office) are usually shorter. Women have other comitments which many men, due to pressures of work, do not share - childcare, shopping, looking after the domestic arrangements.
Unfair?

The majority of women questioned about this said they wouldn't change it.
Either because they are really quite happy to leave the stress-related, high-blood-pressure/cardiac-arrest-inducing work responsibility to men, or because they know that even if they were given these responsibilities, they would still end up doing the major part of the outside-work activities....

I don't mind being paid less than a colleague, if he has been in his position longer than i have been in mine, and has accrued more experience, or if our work-loads are demonstrably different.
But I am very happy to remain in the post I occupy, and receive a lower wage, because conversely, I have more liberty to do what I want, outside of work hours, whereas those above me often have work to catch up with in the evenings or at weekends.

The only way I have found to be paid commensurate with my ability regardless of anything, was to be self employed and put up with the SOB I had for a boss. She was a slave driver, but the pay was good and much more than men in the same position made because I was so much better at what I did.

Jan, how are the companies getting away with having different pay scales?

I know that my husband's company pays a woman the same as a man in the same position. I thought that was more the norm than one with some unfair pay practice.