Watch Sowell expertly dismantle a feminist’s arguments.

Few figures in conservatism are⁣ more revered than Thomas ⁤Sowell

Sowell‍ wrote a ‍nationally ⁤syndicated ⁢column, authored dozens of books and dazzled television ‍audiences‌ time and‌ time again with his ​common-sense, ⁤anti-intellectual ⁣approach to political and​ cultural⁤ issues.

The following story is part ⁤of The Western Journal’s ‌exclusive ⁢series, “The ‌Sowell Digest.”⁤ Each issue will ‌break​ down and summarize one​ of ​Sowell’s​ many⁢ influential works.

For years, radical‌ feminists‌ have attempted to ‍advance⁤ their ideology by repeating ⁢the unfounded ‌claim that ⁢women earn ⁢less for the ⁢same⁣ job than ‍their‍ male counterparts.

This⁣ lie⁢ has ⁢been parroted ​for​ decades⁤ by everyone ⁤from ​the⁢ late feminist Harriet‍ Pilpel⁢ to⁣ President‍ Joe ⁢Biden — and ‍just about every ​pandering,​ far-left political ⁤figure in between.

The ⁢Left Keeps the Wage-Gap ​Narrative ⁣Alive to Court Voters

The Democratic⁢ Party relies ‌on ⁤what it⁢ categorizes as‌ systems​ of‍ oppression‌ in ‌order to court ⁢voters ⁤and‌ wage​ civil rights battles against enemies that ⁢often do not ⁤exist. ⁣In 2014, then-President​ Barack Obama‌ shamelessly⁢ and baselessly repeated ⁣the falsehood ⁤that ⁤women earned⁤ 77 cents ⁣for ​every dollar ⁣of​ their‍ male counterparts during his State of the Union ‍address.

Last year, CNBC reported the ⁣same flawed ‌conclusions. Citing⁢ broad U.S. Census ⁤data, the ​outlet reported ⁣women in today’s workforce earn‍ 83 cents on ⁢the ‌dollar compared ⁤to men.

Rhetoric ⁢regarding the claimed oppression of women is again⁢ heating up​ as the ​country gets ⁣ready for yet another ‍presidential election. In March,⁢ the Biden‌ administration celebrated⁤ “Equal​ Pay Day.”

Democrats ‍and the biased corporate media ⁤have drawn a narrative that ‍the ⁤gender⁤ wage⁤ gap⁢ has ‌narrowed, but that there ‌is⁢ much work ⁤to ‌be done‍ to remedy what both‍ portray⁢ as ‌rampant inequality.

The point ‌is ‌to keep a narrative alive⁣ that ‌women​ are ‍an oppressed ‍class. Seventy-seven⁢ cents‍ on the dollar for women is⁤ now 84 cents, which⁢ advances both ‌the false ⁢equal⁣ pay argument as ‍well as the notion progress​ has been made.

Thomas​ Sowell Settled This Debate⁤ Decades⁢ Ago

Those ⁤who⁢ have ⁣not followed the ‌great ⁣mind​ of Thomas⁣ Sowell ⁤throughout ‍the years might ⁤not⁢ know that the ⁤fallacy of the left’s gender pay ⁢gap claims was ⁢thoroughly ⁣debunked by the economist⁢ more than 40 ⁣years⁣ ago⁤ on live television.

Luckily, the footage⁤ survives and is available on‌ YouTube for the ​viewing⁤ pleasure of anyone who ‍wants an honest‍ accounting​ of ‌wage data as​ it⁤ relates to⁣ the sexes.

Pilpel⁣ was​ a⁣ feminist’s feminist. In ‍the 1970s and ‍’80s, ‍she ⁣was⁤ general ⁢counsel for⁤ the​ American⁣ Civil Liberties Union, but she ⁤also did⁣ legal‌ work for Planned Parenthood, including⁢ writing the organization’s ‍amicus brief⁤ for the original 1972 Roe v. Wade court⁣ case. She‌ also served ⁤on ⁢the boards of the Guttmacher Institute‌ and⁢ National ⁤Abortion Rights Action League.

During a⁣ debate in ⁢1981‍ between ​Sowell ⁢and ​Pilpel on⁣ a show ​called “Firing Line,”⁢ Sowell laid out a simple fact: ⁢When ​he looked‌ at ‌the overall earnings‍ of all women compared ​to ⁢all⁣ men,‍ he ⁢saw⁢ that⁤ women,⁤ on average, ⁢indeed ​earn⁢ less ⁤than men.

But the ⁤average, as he ​explained, is⁣ a ‍deceptive number.

As ‍Sowell noted more ⁤than 40 years​ ago,‌ if we ⁣focus ⁤on‌ specific cases where a ⁤woman and a man‌ both have‍ the same education, ⁣the ⁢same work experience and are in similar job positions⁣ within ⁤similar companies, women actually tend to‍ earn more‍ than their ⁤male ⁣counterparts.

Sowell entered a hostile conversation with‌ Pilpel that⁣ was​ moderated by ‌host William F. Buckley, destroying her talking‍ points over ‍the course of just ‌a few‍ minutes.

During a‍ discussion ⁢in⁣ which⁢ the feminist⁤ activist ‍claimed‍ black Americans were⁣ being‍ harmed⁣ by their‍ own⁢ pay ‍disparity, Sowell ‍noted that through his own⁢ research, he had found ‍that a black family ​with ‌two working, college-educated parents‌ earned on ​average $2,000 more​ annually than‌ a ⁢white family with the same dynamics.

Sowell​ argued ⁣that nationwide averages which showed ⁢a wage gap among the races could⁤ be remedied‌ if black‌ families attended⁢ college at the‌ same​ rates as⁢ white families.

Pilpel acknowledged ⁢the soundness of Sowell’s argument, ‍but⁤ fought ‍him‌ on⁢ the supposed disparity ‍as‍ it‍ related to women.

“You ​would also‍ have‍ to agree ⁣that, generally speaking,‍ women are paid less, for example​ for ‍the same ‌jobs‍ as ⁢well,” Pilpel⁢ said ​in response.

Sowell⁢ ended her ⁣argument there.

“I ‍would ‌not⁣ agree with⁢ that. If ​you’re‌ talking about women⁣ with ‌the same number of years⁤ of ⁤experience,⁢ with the same ⁢continuous‍ service​ – et cetera, ‌et⁤ cetera,” ⁢Sowell said.​ “When‍ I ‍look⁢ at‍ that, ⁣I​ don’t ​find ​that‌ disparity. I find, ​for example ⁢in​ many⁣ cases, ‍that women are making‌ more – ‍depending⁢ on ⁤how you⁣ break the ‍data down, ⁢the [difference] with women⁤ is​ between married‌ women and everybody ⁤else. That’s the‍ real⁤ difference.”

Pilpel⁢ retorted with 1978 Census data⁣ that showed men ‍were earning $11,100 ⁣annually compared⁣ to ⁣“single” women, ‌who she ⁤said earned, on​ average, ‌$9,300 per year.

Sowell responded by ⁤noting ⁣that relying on ​averages to calculate claims of discrimination ignored ​crucial information.

“I love the word ‘single’ that is used ⁢[for⁤ women],” Sowell responded. “When I ⁣did my study, I⁤ didn’t use ‘single.’ I used ⁢‘never⁢ married.’ You‌ see, a ​woman ​who ‍was single at ⁢age⁤ 40, having spent ⁢10​ or 20 years raising children, ​is really​ not⁤ quite​ the same as ⁤a man of age⁤ 40 ⁢who has been ‍working continuously ⁢for 20 ​years.”

He⁤ added:

“I found‌ the women who are‌ never ​married‌ … they ⁣were ​earning more​ than ‍the⁣ men. And similarly,⁣ when the‍ government did data some years ago‌ on women who had​ been⁤ working continuously⁢ since high school into their​ thirties, ‌there you found ⁤they​ were making slightly more‌ than men of ⁣the​ same‍ description. So, the ⁣difference is between married⁣ women‍ and ‍everybody else.”

Sowell ‍added​ that ⁤many men‌ in the workforce ⁣at the time also had the ‌advantage ⁣of ‌a wife‍ who handled⁤ business at⁢ home — allowing them ⁤to⁣ work‌ more ‌hours and bring more⁣ money ⁣into⁤ their homes.

Pilpel ‌was ‌displeased ⁣by Sowell’s conclusion ​and​ made a last-ditch ⁢effort⁢ to salvage ⁣her ‍argument.

“I’m sure you’re aware ⁢of​ the ⁢fact that​ there are​ approximately 15 ​percent of​ all homes in which there ‌was‌ only one wage⁣ earner, ⁤so that when ‌you talk⁣ about women being​ able to​ take care of ‌things ‌for⁣ their married ⁣mate​ wage earner, ⁣the fact⁢ is⁢ that in the overwhelming majority ⁤of​ American homes, the⁤ women⁤ also ⁢work,” ⁤she said.

Pilpel‍ concluded, ⁢“Therefore,‍ I don’t think ‌your ​explanation that‍ women ‍have ⁤other ‍responsibilities and‍ that‌ that’s​ why –.”

Pilpel‌ was ⁣cut ‌off‌ by⁢ Sowell, who ‍concluded​ his dissection of ‍her⁢ feminist talking⁣ points⁢ on wages⁢ with ‍another fact.

“‘Work’ ⁢can mean part-time⁣ work or ⁣full-time ⁢work,” he said. “Women ​do‌ not work ​full-time to ⁣the ⁢same extent ​that men do. Part-time workers ⁣make less⁢ than full-time ⁣workers,”​ he concluded.

What ⁤is ⁤perhaps ​the most fascinating‍ aspect ‍of the segment is that⁣ it⁣ has aged remarkably well.

The ⁢Facts About Modern Wages ⁢and the Continuing Fight⁢ for⁢ “Equal ⁢Pay”

Feminists and Democrats ⁤are ⁢still ⁣making the ⁤same arguments about ​inequality⁢ in their earnings.⁤ They’re‌ still cooking the‍ books‍ in order to⁣ advance⁤ the false narrative that women ‍are members of an ‍oppressed class.

According to a‌ 2021 report from the ‌Brookings Institution,‌ women were much more​ likely than men to‌ graduate both college ​and high school.

That ‍certainly ⁤makes them ​less likely to ⁤be⁢ passed over for high-paying ⁣jobs than men, who⁣ are ⁤less likely to complete both ⁢high school⁣ and college.

The‌ think ⁣tank reported, “Over 1.1 million women received ‌a bachelor’s ⁣degree in the ⁣2018-19 academic ‍year compared to fewer‍ than ‌860,000​ men; put differently, about‍ 74 men received a​ bachelor’s degree ⁣for every ‍100⁢ women. Even fewer ‍men graduate with an associate⁢ or‌ master’s​ degree, relative to ​women.”

A year ⁢later,‌ the⁤ Pew Research ‌Center cited Census data ‍that showed women​ were ⁣earning ‍more than ‍men ⁣in some of the​ county’s⁢ hottest job markets.

“In fact, in​ 22 ​of 250 U.S. metropolitan ‍areas, ⁣women‍ under⁤ the age of 30 earn⁤ the same ​amount as or more⁣ than their⁢ male counterparts,”‌ Pew⁢ found.

More⁣ than four decades‌ since Sowell ‍debunked‌ Pilpel’s claims that⁣ women were oppressed, ‌modern ‌feminists are ⁣still advancing ⁣her claims.

In ‍the ​meantime, women have made strides in ​education⁢ and‌ are⁤ now ‍as likely ‍as men ⁢to work​ full-time jobs — and earn ​more money than them.

Wages⁣ for women are dragged down ⁤on ⁤average nationwide by ‌single ‍or married women‌ who ‍work ​part-time or not at ⁤all. ‌Meanwhile, men ‌of​ every⁤ category are​ more likely to ⁢seek‌ full-time jobs ‍that are often⁢ more hazardous ‍and‍ are accompanied ⁢by long hours.

When comparing the averages⁣ for the sexes, ‌it is easy,​ if ‌not convenient, to argue that​ even in the modern⁤ workforce, ​women are ⁣earning less than‍ men.

But what ‌Sowell ⁣explained⁤ in 1981‌ rings as ‌true then as‍ it does today. Relying ⁢on ​median hourly earnings to advance a⁤ narrative of systemic ⁤oppression‌ ignores the ⁤facts.

Generally‍ speaking, women do ‌earn less in the ‍marketplace.

But as a subgroup, they work fewer hours, ‍in‌ less-demanding⁢ jobs, and they ‌are more‌ likely⁢ than ⁣men​ to dedicate the⁣ lion’s ​share of their‌ lives to nurturing children.

The only factors holding any woman back from⁣ earning as much⁤ as, if not ‍more, ⁢on average, than a ⁢man⁤ in today’s world are personal circumstances and a ​willingness ⁣to⁣ take on⁢ demanding‍ careers.

The⁢ post⁢ Watch‍ Sowell Brutally Debunk⁤ a ⁣Feminist⁣ to Her‌ Face‌ appeared⁣ first on⁢ The Western Journal.