Final answer:
Women today earn approximately c) 80 cents to every dollar that men earn for performing similar jobs.
Step-by-step explanation:
On the topic of wage disparities between men and women, it's essential to highlight that women today earn approximately 80 cents to every dollar that men earn, even while performing the same or similar jobs. Although attempts have been made to pay equal wages to men and women, significant gaps persist. According to a 2013 report by the National Equal Pay Taskforce, full-time working women make just 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, depicting a tangible disparity with serious consequences for families and retirement savings.
The Pew Research Center reports a slightly narrower gap, with women earning 84 cents to a man's dollar. Moreover, different life stages and responsibilities such as motherhood exacerbate the wage gap, showing women's wages as 93% of men's at ages 16-24, but dropping significantly in subsequent age brackets.
There are several factors affecting this wage discrepancy. Women often bear a larger portion of household responsibilities, and mothers may leave the workforce or reduce working hours, leading to less average job experience in their 30s and 40s. The wage gap is further influenced by the 'motherhood penalty' where women with families and children earn less compared to their childless counterparts, while men may experience a 'fatherhood bonus'. It's also vital to note racial disparities, with African American women earning 64 cents and Latina women earning 56 cents to every dollar a Caucasian male makes, highlighting a multifaceted issue within the wage gap conversation.