Personal: #GenderPayGap

I'm going to start this one off with some questions and answer it as a human being not from a gender, race, age or religion:
Q:  You work 37 hours a week full time job, you've had no time off to explore the world, have children, holidays, relationships - you've effectively prioritized your career as some do.  Do you agree that someone who takes time off for whatever reason to be given equal pay as you?  Even though your experience and perhaps even qualifications are better than the part timer?
This is NOT a gender related question, this is sticking to basics.  I know plenty who have taken a sabbatical right after College/University, I know plenty who prioritized raising a family before they were 30.  My question is aimed at those who prioritized their careers - as I have done.  My job came first above relationships, kids, holidays, traveling or generally taking time out to "doss".
The answer to that question will 99% be - NO.  And rightly so, why should someone who’s  got less experience than me earn the same wage.  Problem is we live in a society of delusion.  If it doesn’t impact me it doesn’t exist.  I’m more than willing to admit that the #GenderPayGap is real but how many react badly over this.  If someone walked in to do my job would that person know the decades of experience I have under my belt?  I’ve already mentioned that I have never taken more than my holiday allowance off in all those years.  Since leaving School I’ve always had a Monday to Friday cycle either for education or work.  I have never taken more than two weeks off – never.
A lot of people are sick to death of those who choose not to work, to live off benefits, take a year out to travel, raise a few kids but expect to immediately walk in to your position and on your pay.  I have no problem with people making their life choices but do not expect to walk in to my job and earn my wage regardless of what your gender is. .  Many of us see people travel the world through their own choices instead of working and earning a career.  And if they choose to do that - rightly so it's their choice.  Should they immediately be allowed to earn the same pay ? NO way on earth.  Not to mention how many possible promotional jobs they will miss as a result of not working – and like it or not long time off periods for whatever reason will impact on promotional prospects.
Like it or not no matter which profession you choose, no matter your gender, race, beliefs you should earn the same amount as someone matching your experience and qualifications.
In my profession, I've had to interview a lot of people.  Only two were women out of about 50, is that a gender issue? No.  Fact of the matter is women don't generally have an interest in IT, they don't - sorry it's true.  Out of every woman I've met, dated, been seeing or had serious relationships with very few shared the same IT interests - this is fact to my own life.  It has nothing to do with gender, it's just the way it is.
Now what is #GenderPayGap
I tell you what the problem is:  Two people have the same experience, qualifications, same attitude for the job but the employer chooses to promote and give a pay rise to the man because of his gender - THIS is a #GenderPayGap problem.  They’ve both put the same level of commitment to the job but the woman is completely ignored and passed over.  This is illegal and you MUST report it.
When I’ve done interviews I’m usually able to tell straight away after reviewing all the job applications who the preferred candidates are.  I don’t care about personal details I look straight at the experience and qualifications.  Once I’ve made my mind up I then look through those details to see who’d be a good prospect moving forward, after all I don’t want a technician that I train up to just move on after 12 months.  I don’t want some one who perhaps will struggle to work with children and adults.  How they cope with the job itself and the work environment is crucial.  At no stage does their sex come in to the fray.
#Sexism
This is where a woman deserves a position but again isn't given it as a result of her gender - this is sexism.
Promoting a man over a woman due to his increased level of experience or qualifications is NOT a sexism problem regardless of how much temper throwing tantrums will make you think.
Q:  A person is a doctor because of his 10 years of experience and qualifications, but another person who has only 5 years’ experience and half the qualifications is expecting the same position.  Who would you rather be a doctor the first one or the second?  You would choose the first one even though if it turned out to be a man or a woman.  I’d always prefer someone with more experience and qualifications.  It’s also the reason why when people complain they demand the manager.  The manager would most likely be in the job for years while the standard worker could have been in the position for a few months.
Fact of the matter is, in ANY professional job: the one who should get it does so through experience, qualifications and the right attitude.
Any employer who chooses to pay someone more because of their gender is guilty and SHOULD be reported.  It’s illegal no matter what.
Why no one reports?
Strange this one, the ones kicking up a fuss about "IT EXISTS" are the same ones who don't suffer it and don’t know anyone who does.  They are simply throwing their support.  Instead those who do suffer it are too scared to raise their voice.  You should be reporting it - the end.  If you don't report it does that make you just as guilty?  If you see a crime and don't report it what do you expect?  Fact of the matter is we need everyone to report it regardless.  You may not like it but you are just as responsible for the problem existing today as those employ men over women due to their gender.  I’ll give you a few other examples:
There’s been an increase of abuse popping up in the news lately.  You have those who suffer and those who witness it but don’t report it out of fear.  As a victim you must report it and fight for those guilty to be prosecuted.  I completely feel for these people because they are the victims.  What about those who sit idly by and watch it unfold.  Are they just as guilty as those who are causing it?  I’d say yes.  If I witnessed a terrible crime or something illegal and sat by allowing it to happen – I’m guilty too.
Sports - Apparently Women and Men should earn the same
This one I will choose football as a prime example.  The Premier League is one of the biggest leagues in the world - it just so happens it's the male league.  I've watched women football and I'm sorry to say but #equality is never going to happen until women and men are allowed to compete in the same league.  Do we really want this? I'm all for it. 
We will still have massive pay gaps from the top teams to the bottom teams like we currently do.  The Premier League will still over pay players regardless.
Now for anyone that's not watched football, I highly recommend it especially watching both women’s/men’s football.  You will see differences, physicality, strength and skill.
I leave that for YOU to notice. 
Then let's have a look at viewers, this league again has one of the highest viewers, in demand and you look at sponsorship deals, TV rights, advertisements- like it or not - not everyone actually watches women's football.  It's catching up but the fact is it's got a long way to go.  At my current work place we have an academy, only with 10 girls vs 200 boys.  This is a typical fact that women don't naturally have an interest in football (sorry this is a fact) how many football stadiums are full of women? how many pay for Sky/Virgin sports to watch it ?  This has nothing to do with #equality this has to do with the way the world is.  I wish my other half had a massive interest in football, but she doesn't.  Her relative on the other hand is a maniac for it.  Gender problem? or just the way society is.
As I said, I'm all for both sexes competing on the same playing field for any sport. 
I will add this:  World Record Holder for the men’s 200 metres is 19.19s and the women’s 21.34s.
Are we happy to have both the women and the men competing for the same thing?  If you insist on fixing #Equality you may find this will actually fix nothing.  Should Bolt earn the same as Florence? although doing the same thing one has obviously outperformed the other.  Performance pay? Competing in the same competitions? right alongside men?
It's interesting so many have called for #equal pay and #performance related - would that create equal pay - nope.
People need to open their eyes, fixing the gap is a real issue and should be reported but if there is a gap - does it automatically mean it’s down to gender or perhaps that other person deserves the better pay.
I have a team in my job, one technician is paid better - he deserves to.  His knowledge and experience isn't just a typical technician but more of an engineer/networking.  Should he be paid the same as the other technician, even though their job descriptions are not really different? even though he has better qualifications and perhaps could easily go off to a better job? No they should not be equally paid even though they are all the same sex.  What would happen if the lower paid technician was in fact a woman.  Would she class it as #EqualPayGap problems? I'd place a bet that she could very well feel that way because she doesn’t see the big picture nor would she get to see the other techies job description – nor his work load I assign him.  I’d also add the fact the lower paid technician doesn’t comprehend the importance of high priority jobs vs low priority ones.  His work drive I wouldn’t say is fantastic even with additional training.  So not only would I rate the qualifications, experience higher but I’d also add – drive/reliability.
Pay Gaps
Like it or not they exist, if you are not promoted because you don't deserve it this is NOT a gender related issue.  If you don't get a pay rise because you are constantly taking time off regardless of reasons - then again this has nothing to do with gender.  No one not even a woman manager would pay someone a promotional job if they’re taking time off left right and centre.  Like it or not – that’s a reliability personality trait which is important for professional jobs.
If you are passed along even though you are the hardest worker, well sadly we do live in a world where sometimes you have not simply kissed enough bum.  I hate this term but it exists.  I've worked alongside few of these - simply because they kissed the right butt.  I've witnessed people get better positions because they were selfish and didn't know loyalty... again I hate this but it exists.
So next time you cry #GenderPayGap slow down and think - does this person regardless of sex deserve the position?
Equality Note
This is a major issue and I've covered this already before, I found a comment that claimed "women are expected to be at home looking after the little ones".  Yes they do, do you want to know who expects that? some men AND some women - even the law.  Like it or not, men don't have near as many rights to their kids compared to women - THIS is an #equality problem that #Feminists do NOTHING about.  I've not seen a single person fighting for equality in any way about this comment.  Why? Because the majority of those who claim they want it actually want superiority - they are also a part of the problem.  Fathers’ rights is something that’s an equality issue and actually more severe than #GenderPayGap because in the eyes of the law fathers’ don’t have equal rights.
Equality is about that - EQUALITY
That means:
Any gender on equal quality is entitled to the same promotion
Any gender is entitled to custody of children
Any gender is entitled to compete in any sport
Now technically the above is true but also it's not.  Women at the moment do not compete in the same sport alongside men.
A man is not equally valuable as a woman in regards to custody of children.
A woman who prioritizes having kids isn't going to be given that promotion because like it or not she wouldn't be as experienced as a full time 10 year worker even if that worker is another woman.
Next time, you cry #GenderPayGap slow down and think (yes I said this but I will say it again).
Equality really does mean that, are you fully prepared for it?  You may find that the end result won’t actually change much.  Bolt as a result of his world record time (for men and women) deserves to be paid more as a result of his performance.  If a woman had beaten that time, I'd say she must get better pay.  Likewise in society.
Having tweeted a lot of women in regards to this the majority of responses are usually the same "I'm just supporting this because it exists, even though it doesn't impact me nor do I know anyone who suffers from it"....... but I do get a few who “It impacts me or I know some who suffer it but not going to say anything”.  Interesting how many have sat down and watched something illegal let alone something that impacts them.  If you’re not willing to report it you are too a part of the problem just as much as those who claim it doesn’t exist – it does.