"Feminists have peddled more than their share of myths over the last 40 years -- that women earn less than men for the same work..."
In an otherwise thoughtful article, I find this statement disingenuous. I think it is often the case that women earn less than men for the same work. I believe the gap has closed considerably over the last 30 years or so.
Where I do find fault with some of the feminist studies is when they try to complain that a woman with a Master's in Library Science has as much education as a man with a Master's in Electrical Engineering and should therefore earn the same amount. This is patently ridiculous.
"I think it is often the case that women earn less than men for the same work."
Think again...
I certainly can't speak for all disciplines, but as one who managed a department with over 175 Engineers (Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, and Civil) in a Fortune 500 petrochemical company, I can state categorically there was no disparity in compensation based on gender during my tenure; absolutely none. It would have been ludicrous to even attempt such a ploy in our business.
"In an otherwise thoughtful article, I find this statement disingenuous."
Do some research. These groups show money earned yearly vs. money earned yearly. Maternity leave, sick kid leave, etc. is not figured into the equations. When compared on a per-hours-worked basis, the gap disappears. Hopefully some FReeper is more pack-ratty than me and has that source stored somewhere.
I suppose that depends on what you mean by the "same work." Women don't do the same work in the sense that they do an equal amount of it. They take more time off. They get pregnant. They spend years out of the job market taking care of children, etc.