I am right in thinking the gender pay gap is actually about sex?

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

A bank has published their gender pay gap stats, but they state they are measuring the difference between those identifying as men and those identifying as women. Someone on this thread

community.monzo.com/t/monzos-gender-pay-gap/36145

has pointed out that this is not actually measuring the gender pay gap, bit are they right? (I think they are) Ive had a quick look and it doesn't seem immediately obvious if the gender pay gap is about measuring sex or gender differences - I am assuming this is because most orgs have not caught up with the difference? I am almost tempted to weigh in (anonymously) on the thread, bit would want to be sure of my facts first.

The gender pay gap issue will not be altered by men identifying as women at either higher or lower paid jobs. Consider Ryanair or any company that has large numbers of lower paid women. When you have large numbers of women employed in lower paid jobs, you need equally large numbers of women in higher paid jobs to bring the mean and median up. A few TIMs will not do this, you need thousands. The boss of Ryanair has the following options to create zero gap:

1. Replace every single higher earning male - pilots, corporate etc - with women, or at least enough to make sure lower paid men such as male cabin crew outnumber higher paid men. This is not likely. Hiring more female pilots wouldn't be enough to bring up the mean and median when balanced out with thousands of lower paid female cabin crew. They'll probably do this for the PR though. If a few male pilots decide to identify as female the impact on mean and median would be negligible.

2. Ask thousands of female cabin crew to identify as male. Male average and median comes straight down. This is not likely, because it's ridiculous.

3. hire large numbers of extra lower paid males to balance out the higher paid males. This is not likely because it would blow out the salary budget and Ryanair pinches pennies at every opportunity.

4. fire half the female cabin crew and replace them with males, with or without adding in some female pilots. This would bring the male mean and median right down and keep the salary budget about the same. This is probably the most attractive option from a pure business sense: no extra money spent but zero gap, look good on the Guardian's graph. Problem with this though is trying to find a load of men willing to be cabin crew. Could be done.

I think we all understand that NotBadConsidering....

Well clearly not given some people up thread we're worried about the impact.

oh, ok.

I do understand the basics of statistics and am worried about the impact on women, transwomen and transmen of failing to correct sex-specific data.

They won't impact the gap though. However they are counted, the gap won't change, as per your original concern. It would take huge numbers to self ID to make enough change to suggest the gap is narrowing.

indeed.

Regardless of their opinion about the politics of self ID etc, from what the bank is saying they don’t have information to identify whether a member of staff is trans?

TBF, talking about the "sex pay gap" rather implies the discussion is about sex workers

Any inequality faced by women is faced by all women and we need to resolve that. An inclusive work place where every person has the opportunity to perform to the best of their ability and have the opportunity to succeed is the goal.

It sounds as though Monzo think the pay gap is something to do with women not realising their inner fabulousness. Maybe they will have an annual 'girl power' day with free manicures for all the ladies.

I can take on board that

1. Employers hold a limited amount of data on their employees.
2. Practically numbers of people who identify as trans may be so low that their inclusion doesn't impact on the data.

However, I don't believe employers or politicians will take any action to reduce the gender pay gap if they have all drunk the Kool aid and believe it is caused by women sharing some kind of indefinable essence of femininity.

What merrymouse says!