High Voltage/Getting Dressed1E
From Create Your Own Story
I picked out a pair of jeans and a simple green tee shirt. My outfit would be an improvement on yesterday's selections, but not a big one. The jeans were similar to the pair I had yesterday, they still fit snugly, but these ones were distressed and had holes in the knees. I wondered if Lauren paid extra for that or if she made the holes herself. If she did make the holes herself, was it because she was on her knees often? I shuddered at the thought. The green shirt also felt like it clung to my skin, but it had a relatively normal neckline and covered my shoulders. My nipples were faintly visible through the shirt since I wasn't wearing a bra. I found a pair of canvas sneakers and put them on. I put my hair into a ponytail like yesterday and I was ready to go to class.
My ethics class was small, there were only about 25 desks. I sat towards the back of the room and watched as the other students slowly filed into the room. The professor began to drone on about today's topic of gender equality in the workplace.
"A commonly quoted statistic is that a woman in paid 77 cents for every dollar that a man earns," he began. "This does not consider difference in positions accepted or in hours worked. Many women choose to work part-time after they have children. Obviously a woman working 30 hours a week should not have the same take-home salary as a man working 40 hours. However, women are often passed over for management opportunities, locking them out of high paying career tracks. Do you think there really is a gender gap, and if so, how should it be addressed?" The professor looked around the room. "Thomas, let's start with you."
"Uhh, I don't think there is a gender gap, and I don't think it should be particularly addressed." He paused, "We have a free-market economy, and companies should be able to choose who they want for management positions. If a woman is the best-qualified candidate, it is in the best interest of the company to promote her. Legislation that forces companies to promote women might help women, but might not always be in the best interest of the business."
"Thank you for your reply Tom, but let's get a different perspective now." He began looking in my direction, "Lauren, why don't you give us your take. Does the gender gap exist, and how should it be fixed?"
Should I:
