Katha Pollitt

In the following viewpoint, Katha Pollitt asserts that statistics suggesting women have made progress in closing the wage gap are misleading, contending that women, especially mothers, continue to be discriminated against in the workplace. Pollitt argues that the purported shrinking income gap does not take into account the fact that women with children suffer economically, while men with children do not. According to Pollitt, women continue to experience wage discrimination because typical female jobs often offer little advancement or are not adaptable to the needs of working mothers. Pollitt is an associate editor for the Nation.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why are the earnings of young men and young women comparable, according to Pollitt?
2. According to the author, what would women’s earnings be relative to men’s, if...