Today is Equal Pay Day in the U.S. It’s not an official holiday. Equal Pay Day is instead a measure of something unfortunate: the disparity between salaries made by men and women for an equal about of work. On average, to earn as much as a man made in 2016, a woman would have had to work all of last year, and up to this point this year.
By now, nobody should be surprised if current events resonate with astrology. Even though it is not useful to consider some celestial objects basically female and others essentially male as a matter of strict policy, the context of Equal Pay Day this year does come with some telling cosmic events on tap.
Today, the Moon (often interpreted as a feminine astrological quality) leaves its Cancer dominion behind and enters Leo, where the (so-called masculine) Sun rules. In the meantime, the ongoing retrograde of Venus has temporarily taken it from the putative first sign of the zodiac (Aries) to the last (Pisces).
Perhaps most sobering, Saturn (and its common association with an established order) is about to end a full month of slow progress through one single degree of Sagittarius. It will initiate a retrograde of its own Thursday.
Up until now, there has indeed been slow but significant progress regarding wage equality. Of course there are exceptions in the U.S. and elsewhere. Nonetheless, in 2016 Equal Pay Day was on April 19. But later last year, the nature of the established order changed.
Now, the three constitutional branches of American government are potentially — or in actuality — turning back the clock when it comes to equal treatment in a workplace. Of course, there have been (and will continue to be) exceptions to that trend as well.
Many women can, do and will continue to manage (often at great personal sacrifice) to make it to the top of their profession on their own merit. From such examples, all people can take inspiration to reach their own potential, and also to give deserving others a helping hand.
Unfortunately, advancement for women based on merit alone is still not the the rule. All too often, increased prestige and income requires aiding and betting the hegemony of certain powerful (if unconscionable) men. It tilts the playing (paying?) surface even more if you are the right man’s daughter or wife.
Yet, there is astrological reason to believe that even the most disturbing recent developments regarding equal pay for equal work are not indicative of a permanent trend. No celestial object or point remains in retrograde forever. In addition, the net motion over time for every tangible object in the solar system is direct, and thus representative of inevitable progress. Even so, what happens in the sky is not destined to be emulated here below.
Astrology is not destiny. Progress on Earth is made to happen, or not. However, movements on an ever-dynamic zodiac can (and often do) indicate something of the moment, as well as what led up to it and choices to follow.
When it comes to astrological indicators (and their earthly parallels) at this point, at least two things are clear. First, it would be helpful if you were alert for situations where the time is right to forego traditional perceptions and protocols. Then, it would be necessary to make a convincing case for others (of either greater influence, or influence in numbers) that it’s in their interest to make way for another way.
It won’t be easy for new possibilities to find acceptance, but it will be crucial. Otherwise, the way things are going, Equal Pay Day will cease to have meaning after nearly everybody has been devalued to a point almost nobody wants to see.
Offered In Service
Len, your post today brought back a memory for me. Years ago, I was working as the advertising copywriter/layout/graphic artist for a weekly newspaper, while raising my daughter. I was a single mum, paying daycare, maintaining a home and vehicle.
When I was leaving my job, my boss asked me to help him sort through some of the resumes he had received, a couple of which were from men. My boss had ignored those, though they seemed qualified, so I suggested he might interview them. His response astonished me: “No man would work for that salary.”
We’ve made some progress since then, thankfully, but we’ve a long way to go.
Wow — Bette: what an eye-opening anecdote about your boss’ statement about the salary you were leaving. I can only imagine it felt like a slap in the face.
I agree, Amanda. I remember an occasion back in the 1980s when the graphics union in the UK held a referendum among its members to determine whether they should press for equal pay. My reaction was that a job was worth X £s per hour, and it mattered not a jot whether it was performed by a man or a woman subject to equal competence. I’m pleased to say that “our side” won the day.
Sadly, my comment to the Union secretary that gay people should also be treated on equal terms with heterosexual employees was not met with the same rapport. A day or so later I was told that I had no future with the company.
That’s just bloody disgraceful.
Bette and Geoff- Thank-you for sharing your stories. *Sigh* The culture of equality still has a ways to go.
Maybe the issue has to do with focusing on things that don’t matter? The ole magician’s trick of diversion and distraction? If we based pay upon performance, then it doesn’t matter male or female. Of course there’s quite a few men that are insecure and don’t like being questioned about their performance. That’s maybe why we’ve got the system of pay based upon hours, not what we managed to accomplish during those hours.