Though they are all in the medical realm, one specialty specifically produces a higher income, due to the specialized nature. Somehow, you want me to believe this is a ploy by males to pay women lower. Females choose lower earning paths, work less hours on average and are less prone to negotiate for higher entry salaries as their male counterparts.

Besides, if I were a CEO aware that hiring female employees will save my company about 25% per hire, I would find a way to make my entire staff female. Why pay more, when I can pay less for the same work? I don’t care how much I detest someone, if you will save me 25%, yet do the same work, I will hire you in a heartbeat.

More importantly, there are laws that make it illegal to pay employees lower because of their sex. If a female employee knows this for a fact, though she works “the same hours, with the same level of risk, with the same educational background and the same years of continuous, uninterrupted work experience, and assuming no gender differences in family roles like child care,” she can sue the pants off the company. However, it will not happen, because she knows the claim to be false.

The wage gap is incredibly misleading, because it takes a lengthy discussion with many variables, and boils it down to one (sexism). Equal pay must equate to equal work, not equal pay for less work.

Jessica: You misogynistic, privileged cis-gendered a**hole. You are the reason I fear being out after dark, without the right to feel safe. You are the reason we need to teach boys not to rape, instead of teaching girls how not to get raped.

You are scum. You are a sexist, misogynistic piece of scum. Society makes women feel they should only work in positions that are for women, like secretarial and education. That is the patriarchy, and because of rape apologists like yourself, my daughters will have to work twice as hard to earn the same as your misogynistic sons.

I should not have to feel one career is more suited for boys, and one is more suited for girls.

“Why don’t we decrease the salaries of all males across the board currently working, and use that money to increase the salaries of all female employees?” Even if it does come down to her choices, the choices occur because of the patriarchy, thus misogyny…you rape apologist scum.

My Assessment: Not only did Ben provide valid points to disprove the myth, but he did so without insulting her personally. Instead, he stuck with the topic. The wage gap does exist, but it is not because of sexism, and it is not because of this patriarchy that I hear often.

Choices determine what happens with our incomes and salaries. Should females receive a salary penalization of sorts, because they experience pregnancy?  I would not say so.

Should males earn the same as females, though males work more hours, have fewer interruptions in their schedule, and choose riskier careers on average? I would not say so.

Should you receive equal pay for equal work? In other words, working the same hours, with the same level of risk, with the same educational background and the same years of continuous, uninterrupted work experience, and assuming no gender differences in family roles like childcare. I would definitely agree.

I find it incredibly illogical, that people cannot understand why a first grade educator, earns less than the principal of the school does. I find it incredibly illogical, that people have difficulty understanding why a cardiac surgeon earns more than a pediatrician.

If we are both cardiac surgeons starting out at the same hospital, on the same day, with the same credentials and negotiated for the same salary and benefits, being a male or female should not make one starting salary more or less.

In reality, it will not. However, if any of these variables change, then the income should not be the same. If he has better credentials, I would presume he would receive a higher salary.

If she negotiates for a 10% increase because she is aware of the importance of her specialty, whereas he did not, then I would expect she would receive a higher salary.

However, that example is viewing the discussion through an objective lens, with the understanding of facts based on equal pay laws. Sadly, facts are unimportant for those using discussion-enders.

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The only thing of importance will be their feelings. I hate to break it to you, but your feelings for such an important topic are as powerful as my softest pillow, in comparison to critical thinking. Sexism is real. Racism is real. Keep in mind, misogyny is the hatred of women.

Is it possible that this happens? Of course, misogyny is real. Is it everywhere, all the time and from everyone? I do not believe in unicorns and gargoyles, so no, I refuse to believe this as well.

I do not allow my feelings to drive my thinking for all things. Misogyny and sexism are the go-to words to end discussions, when it involves male speakers.

Words are powerful—stop throwing them around like darts. We allow children to speak in this manner, but gentlemen and ladies should refrain from such tactics.

This is what I think about tactics used, to silence someone during a conversation. I am more interested in your perspective. What do you think about these two discussion-enders?

…to be continued.