Spirit of 76 (cents, that is)

When develpment professionals discuss the feminization of the sector (not for profit sector in the U.S.), one concern is frequently stated--that it will drive down wges for everyone in development. This concern has to be seen as legitimate given that women in this country are paid 76 cents on the dollar paid to men. Doesn't it give a whole new meaning to "The Spirit of 76"?

Today I read a rather intelligently written post on a feminist blog about the wage gender gap. Among its many comments was one stating that one reason women are paid less is that they are less inclined to negotiate their initial salary offers. While personally I rarely hesitate to negotiate a better deal for myself, from my own rather limited observation of women in the workplace, I believe it is true. And my intuition tells me that this might be particularly true for women in the sector. We're just so darn nice.

To improve the situation here is what Development Divas must do personally and individually: If we are seeking employment, whether salaried or under contract, we must first become savvy at financial negotiation so we don't leave dollars that should have been ours on the table. If we are on the hiring side, we must avoid the temptation to offer women lower salaries simply because they might be willing to accept them.

Deveopment Divas Know Their Own Value!