The economic myth of blaming women doesn't hold up against the data
The theory blaming women for the housing and wage crisis doesn't stand up to scrutiny against the data. An analysis of a recurring falsehood.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The myth that women have 'screwed everything up' in the economy
In recent weeks, an old theory has resurfaced that places women as responsible for economic ills: from expensive housing to the degradation of job quality. The premise is simple: by entering the labour market, women doubled the supply of labour, which would have pushed wages down and housing prices up.
However, the available data do not support this causality. Rising housing costs are driven by factors such as expansionary monetary policy, lack of supply and excess investor demand, not by the gender composition of the workforce. As for wages, the gender pay gap remains real and persistent, which contradicts the idea that women compete at an advantage.
Behind this narrative lies a nostalgic view of traditional roles, ignoring the fact that female participation has been an engine of economic growth and talent diversification. Examples such as the debate over orchestras (where it is argued that women "don't have the physique" to play) show that prejudice extends to areas where empirical evidence refutes it.
In short, the thesis that women have "screwed everything up" lacks any solid economic foundation and operates more as a scapegoat than as rigorous analysis. The real economy is more complex.
In recent weeks, an old theory has resurfaced that places women as responsible for economic ills: from expensive housing to the degradation of job quality. The premise is simple: by entering the labour market, women doubled the supply of labour, which would have pushed wages down and housing prices up.
However, the available data do not support this causality. Rising housing costs are driven by factors such as expansionary monetary policy, lack of supply and excess investor demand, not by the gender composition of the workforce. As for wages, the gender pay gap remains real and persistent, which contradicts the idea that women compete at an advantage.
Behind this narrative lies a nostalgic view of traditional roles, ignoring the fact that female participation has been an engine of economic growth and talent diversification. Examples such as the debate over orchestras (where it is argued that women "don't have the physique" to play) show that prejudice extends to areas where empirical evidence refutes it.
In short, the thesis that women have "screwed everything up" lacks any solid economic foundation and operates more as a scapegoat than as rigorous analysis. The real economy is more complex.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (10 replies).
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