Argument Writing Project: Final Draft

DIRECTIONS: This is the final version of your 4-5 paragraph argumentative essay.
Should be in a 12 pt., easily-readable font. No boxes or extra text, ONLY
paragraphs. Use your previous drafts (Assignment 9C, 10C) and the Revision
Checklists to help you. Here is a link to the Grading Rubric for the essays.

Write your Final Draft BELOW:

Did you know that, on average, women only make 80 cents for every dollar a man
makes? This is called the gender pay gap, and it has been a major issue in the United States for
many years. Many people assume that men can bring in the money needed for their families, but
there still is an abundance of single women that need to make enough money to support
themselves and their families without men. Because of this gender pay gap, there are more
women than men in poverty. Women are not paid the same as men, but they should be because it
could help get more women out of poverty, and it could help single women support themselves
and their families.
One reason that women should be paid the same as men is that it would help get women
out of poverty. According to the Center for American Progress, “out of the 38.1 million people
living in poverty, 56 percent - or 21.4 million - were women” (Bleiweis, Boesch, and Gaines).
The Center for American Progress also says, “12.9 percent of women live in poverty compared
with 10.6 percent of men” (Bleiweis, Boesch, and Gaines). This evidence shows that there are
more women than men in poverty. If men and women got paid equally, there would not be more
women than men in poverty.
Another reason that women and men should be paid equally is that there are a lot of
women that do not have a man to help support them and their families. As stated by the United
States Census Bureau, “110.6 million - The number of unmarried people in America age 18 and
older in 2016. This group made up 45.2 percent of all U.S. residents age 18 and older” (United
States Census Bureau). This shows that more than 40% of all people have to depend on
themselves. If they got paid the same as men, they would be able to support themselves more
easily.
However, some people think that the gender pay gap is just based on the quality and
quantity of work. This is incorrect because many studies show that it is real. According to Lisa
Martin for The Guardian, “Researchers attributed gender discrimination to almost two-fifths
(39%) of the gender pay gap and noted its influence on the gap has increased since 2014”
(Martin). This means that a large percentage of the gender pay gap is only based on bias and
discrimination. So, the gender pay gap isn’t only based on quality and quantity of work.
In conclusion, the gender pay gap continues to be a concern in our society. Men are
getting paid more than women, which leads women into poverty and makes it difficult for single
women to support themselves and their families. All of this proves that women and men are not
paid equally, but they should be because it could help with the impoverishment of women, and it
could aid single women in supporting their families.
 Works Cited

Bleiweis Robin, Boesch Diana, and Gaines Alexandra Cawthorne “The Basic Facts About

Women in Poverty”. Center for American Progress.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/08/03/488536/basic-facts-

women-poverty/#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%20more,or%2021.4%20

million%E2%80%94were%20women. 03/31/2021

United States Census Bureau “Unmarried and Single Americans Week: Sept. 17-23, 2017”.

United States Census Bureau.

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2017/single-americans-week.html.

03/31/2021

Lisa Martin “Gender pay gap: discrimination found to be most significant contributor to

inequality”. The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/22/gender-pay-gap-discrimination-found-t

o-be-most-significant-contributor-to-inequality 03/31/2021