Watch Sowell expertly dismantle a feminist’s arguments.

Johnathan JonesJuly 19, 2023

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.