Women's Figures: An Illustrated Guide to the Economic Progress of Women in America (Paperback)

~ (Author), Christine Stolba (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Are women victims? Or can they hold their own in the workplace? Women's inequality in society is a standard refrain in the popular media and thus in the conventional wisdom. The purveyors of that point of view assume that women are systematically discriminated against on all levels of society, especially in the workplace, and that this discrimination has kept them from reaching equality with men. But the facts show otherwise.

To counter the triple myths of the glass ceiling, the wage gap, and the pink ghetto - the pillars that support arguments in favor of sex-based affirmative action - the authors provide detailed data in graphs and tables to show that in key areas of education and employment women have substantially achieved equality. Women earn over 50 percent of bachelor's and master's degrees; they are moving into previously male-dominated professions; and when education and experience are accounted for, their positions and compensation are similar to men's.

This book, now in its second addition, presents new and updated data to illustrate women's economic progress in America.

About the Author

Diana Furchtgott-Roth is a resident Fellow and assistant to the president at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. Christine Stolba is a historian in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. candidate in American History at Emory University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 110 pages
• Publisher: American Enterprise Institute Press; 1st edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844741140
• ISBN-13: 978-0844741147
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,240,980 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable contribution of facts on a much debated subject., April 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Women's Figures: The Economic Progress of Women in America (Paperback)

Much of what we know about the economic status of women is summarized in this excellent monograph by Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Christine Stolba. It covers not only the so-called gender gap between men's and women's incomes, but also educational attainment, occupational choice and political influence. Understanding of the subject is enhanced by colorful charts. - Herbert Stein

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Women's Success Story, May 6, 2002

By	"janelw" (Maine) - See all my reviews

Anyone who appreciated Who Stole Feminism?, where Christina Hoff Sommers corrects what passes for feminist statistics will find plenty to love in these 123 pages. Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Christine Stolba explain with tons of data why the "wage gap" and "glass ceiling" are myths based on bad statistics and a less than thorough investigation of the facts. The authors spell out the truth, that we should be celebrating women's progress. Feminists should be bragging that women earn the majority of bachelor's and master's degrees and that women-owned businesses are growing faster than businesses overall instead of inventing discrimination where it clearly doesn't exist, as the stats in this book prove. This book should be required reading in women's studies classes, but unfortunately the half-truths often spread in such classes are the reason this book needed to be written in the first place.

5.0 out of 5 stars Blows the Myth of Gender Wage Disparity--FINALLY!, August 18, 2007

By	Monty J. Heying "Wordist" (Alameda, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Every year the Dept. of Labor statistic of average wages, male vs female, is touted, falsely, as evidence of wage discrimination. But average pay is a number clouded by the fact that a majority of women still choose jobs with flexibility for attending to family. The average pay statistic makes no attempt at a fair comparison--like job to like job. This book, written by women, does the math and proves that when you compare apples to apples, there is no signifcant gender difference in compensation.

I've been in corporate finance for 35 years, and the real numbers never have supported the nonsesnse reported in the media. No large employer in its right mind would discrimminate in this way. If women were only paid 75% of what men make, there'd be massive lawsuits, and HR manager firings would be in order. Thanks largely to a healthy system of tort laws, during my career corporate management has fought like hell to make sure women are treated fairly. The US is a leader in the industrial world in this effort.

But every year, we'll hear average pay touted as though no progress has been made in the past 40 years. Feminist organizations will rail about the "inequality", and make themselves look foolish..., feeding the popular conception of the math-challenged female.