Women are entering the labor market in greater numbers and are staying in it longer and for a larger proportion of their work lives (Looking 1996). When asked what they want, women respond in survey after survey" "pay equity," "better wages," or "more money" (Looking 1996). In other words, women believe they are not being paid what they are worth (Looking 1996). This is a common response up-and down the income spectrum, "women from the executive suite to the factory floor, from the office to the washroom," all feel that they are underpaid (Looking 1996). During the 1970's, women earned 59 percent of what men earned, and today they generally earn approximately 72 percent of what men earn (Looking 1996). However, although women's earnings have risen, about 3/5 of the narrowing of the gap is due to the fall in men's real earnings (Looking 1996). Moreover, the wage gap grows as women and men age, the gap is relatively small for young women and men, but thereafter men's wages increase sharply while women's do not (Looking 1996). In fact, the average woman in her working prime, in her early forties, makes only about the same as a man in his late twenties (Looking 1996).

             About fifteen years ago, it all seemed possible, to "bring home the bacon, .

             fry it up in a pan, split the second shift with some sensitive New Age man," however slowly the upbeat work-life rhythm has changed for professional women (Wallis 2004). Although many countries have given women the right to maternity leave and, sometimes, generous subsidies for child care, and some have even initiated a 35-hour workweek, however, the norm for most executives is still 50 hours a week for women (Wallis 2004). According to Catalyst, a U.S. research and consulting group, the average number for executives in the U.S. is roughly 70 hours a week (Wallis 2004). And for dual-career couples with children, the combined work hours have grown from 81 hours a week in 1977 to 91 hours per week in 2002, according to the Families and Work Institute (Wallis 2004).