why do women get paid “70 cents on the dollar” when compared to men? The following by no means is an entire accounting for of the “problem,” but I’d like to suggest that it at the very least, plays a role in the marginally lower wages females earn:

Well, I’ve just spent the first 20 minutes of my day listening to a gushing new bride show off her wedding pictures to the rest of my female co-workers. She also called in sick yesterday. She had last thursday and friday off to prepare for the ceremony, and she has this thursday, friday, and all of next week off for the honeymoon. Official company policy is that if you call in sick on a day precedent or antecedent to a scheduled vacation day or a scheduled holiday, you do not get paid for it as you normally would. I doubt that this “rule” will come into play in her case. On the other hand, if I wanted to extend my July 4 break by a day, I’m fairly certain I would be penalized for it. And then I’m told tacitly, that perhaps I should take the “rush” deals today, in some sort of sick deference to her. Well, I’ve got news: If you didn’t want to work today, you should’ve fucking called in sick again. At least that way there is no pretense that we’re going to be splitting the work.

For the last six months, building up towards the wedding, it has been like this, off-and on, discussing the plans, the new house, the furnishings, etc. Not every day, but most days. Not every co-worker, all the time; but all of them, at some point or another.

Why is this behavior not only tolerated, but encouraged?
—-
Also, I hate weddings. I don’t hate the institution of marriage (although I’m not ga-ga over it), but I abhor the concept of weddings as some sort of patriarchal throwback. We don’t engage in religious ceremonies for the autumnal equinox anymore, let’s can this whole psycho-competitive fairy-tale wedding bullshit. A full fifty-percent of you are destined to fail, anyways.