Man Writes Op-Ed Explaining How Equal Pay Is Hurting Men, World Says 'NOPE'

Op-Ed Lands Man in Hot Water over Equal Pay

Most people think we should have settled the equal-pay-for-equal-work issue back in the ‘60s, right? Not the Vice-Chair of Utah’s Wasatch County GOP, who recently penned an op-ed so tone-deaf it’s like he time traveled to the 1950’s to write it.

In an op-ed published simultaneously in both the The Park Record and the Wasatch Wave, James C. Green says that “Equal pay for women has consequences.” For men.

“Traditionally men have earned more than women in the workplace because they are considered the primary breadwinners for families. They need to make enough to support their families and allow the Mother to remain in the home to raise and nurture the children,” he writes. “If businesses are forced to pay women the same as male earnings, that means they will have to reduce the pay for the men they employ, simple economics.”

Green not only assumes every family works best with a SAHM. He also insinuates that every dude is a cis male popping out a neat 2.5 rugrats, one who deserves to earn more than women in the workforce, who are either a) cis chicks dropping their poor brats into daycare to subsidize the evils of careerism, or b) pathetic singles, in which case they don’t deserve the extra moola. If men and women get equal pay for equal work – something enshrined in federal law – then, Green says, “men will have an even more difficult time supporting their families, which means more Mothers will be forced to leave the home (where they may prefer to be) to join the workforce to make up the difference.”

Also, Green says, more women in the workforce creates more competition for jobs, “even men’s jobs” – the definition and distinction of which of he doesn’t bother to explain. In turn, this “puts further downward pressure on pay for all jobs, meaning more and more Mothers will be forced into the workforce.”

And that, he claims, “is bad for families and thus all of society.” It is, in fact, “a vicious cycle,” and we should let “free market principles prevail.” When in doubt, flee to the wide umbrella of the sacred free market.

Green rambles on to say that Utahans, denizens of a solidly red state, tell their legislators to drop the Equal Pay Bill, which, according to The Washington Post, “would commission a study on whether there’s a pay gap between male and female workers in the state.” It would also make some employers adopt standards on whether someone’s up for a performance-based raise, and “create a pay index that states the average pay range for each occupation based on years of experience.” Clearly, this bill is a danger that must be stopped.

Outrage against Green was swift and decisive. So swift and decisive, in fact, that he resigned from his position in the county GOP, and issued an apology. In a statement published by Fox13 Salt Lake City, he says he meant “no offense to Women, whatsoever” but that “and yet some took it that way.” Of course, he placates, “Women’s contributions in the workforce are as valuable as anyone else’s.” Then Green humble-brags about how he worked his fingers “to the bone” so his wife could stay home and raise the kids, both of whom have high-flying jobs now so clearly this is a result of having a SAHM and we should all STFU because he’s right.

And then he crawled back into his time machine.

If even conservative Utah puts you “in hot water” when you attack women, maybe you need to find a new career.