Fact: Overall, African American males and females, Hispanic males and females, and white women earn at least 25 percent less than white males.

Table 2b
Median Weekly Earnings of Full-Time Workers by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin–1983 and 1995

These statistics indicate some important facts: There are more women than men after the age of 20. As a population ages, the percentage of women continues to rise, so that eventually there are twice as many women in their mid 80s as men. Older women are also more likely to live alone with only one income for support, all women are disproportionately represented among the poor (particularly if they are black or Hispanic), and they are more likely to be raising a family alone. Yet women’s earnings are consistently lower than those of men. Clearly gender is an important piece of our social fabric. And its impact on occupations and professions is substantial.

As these facts suggest, women are disproportionately represented among the poor (particularly if they are black or Hispanic) and typically have lower-paying jobs. They live longer; yet their salaries are consistently lower than those of men. What does gender have to do with this? Before beginning to explore that question, let us define some terms and concepts we will use during this course.