Episode 53: Closing The Wage Gap - A Call To Action

Janine Rogan
Dec 15, 2025
3 min read

In the latest episode of the Pink Tax Podcast, Janine tackles one of the most persistent and frustrating issues in the modern economy: the gender wage gap. With new data showing that the wage gap actually increased in the US in 2025 for the first time in years, Janine dives deep into the statistics, the myths, and the concrete policy changes that could finally move the needle.

Breaking the 169-Year Wait: How Do We Actually Close the Wage Gap?

The State of the Gap in 2026

Janine opens with a "doom and gloom" reality check: according to the OECD, it will take another 169 years to close the economic gender gap at our current pace [04:45]. In Canada, the numbers tell a stark story:

The Median Gap: Women earn roughly 90 cents for every dollar a man earns in hourly wages [03:03].
The Annual Gap: When looking at total annual salaries and commissions, that number drops to approximately 71 cents [03:37].
The Intersectionality Factor: These gaps widen significantly for indigenous women (who earn 26% less than indigenous men), women of color, and the LGBTQ2S+ community [03:49].

Debunking the "Equal Work" Myth

A common argument used to dismiss the wage gap is that "men choose harder jobs." Janine challenges this by discussing equal pay for work of equal value [07:20].

She points out that society consistently devalues "pink collar" jobs—fields like nursing and teaching—simply because they are dominated by women. For example, software engineering was once a low-status role performed by women (as seen in Hidden Figures) but became highly lucrative once it became male-dominated [08:32]. Conversely, as more women enter pediatrics, it has become the lowest-paid medical field [11:52].

Policy Solutions: Salary Transparency & Childcare

The episode highlights exciting legislative shifts, specifically in Ontario, where new laws as of January 2026 require employers to post salary ranges [15:06]. Janine argues that transparency is the ultimate "floor" for fairness—without it, underpayment in one job follows a woman throughout her entire career [15:41].

Other essential "fixes" discussed include:

On-site Daycare: Companies should receive tax breaks for providing free, on-site childcare to keep parents in the workforce [27:12].
Use-it-or-lose-it Paternity Leave: Mandating that men take at least three months of parental leave to normalize career gaps for all parents and reduce hiring bias [28:18].
Increasing Minimum Wage: With 60% of minimum wage workers being women, raising the floor is a direct way to lift women out of poverty [30:52].

What You Can Do: The Power of the "Awkward" Conversation

While Janine advocates for systemic change, she offers one immediate action for every listener: Talk about your wages. She shares a personal story of a male colleague who revealed his salary, only for Janine to discover she was being paid $13,000 less despite being his trainer [24:09]. That information allowed her to negotiate a $15,000 raise. "Knowledge is power," Janine says. "Go talk to one friend today about what they make" [25:33].

Final Thoughts

Closing the wage gap isn't just about fairness; it's about the economic health of our society. By dismantling the "Pink Tax" on our time and labour, we create a world where wealth is accessible to everyone.

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Listen to more: Don't miss the upcoming episode with Allison from Moms at Work for more on advocacy [19:36].