Putting all the emotions and equal pay ideas aside, I like to look at economic reality.

Although I think equal rights for women is a wonderful thing, I wonder if American society, would have been better off without it.

No, I'm not being sexist, just trying to look at things, with an open mind.

So, let's look at what has really happened.
We all know that women wear pants, but why? Is it really because they're "practical", or is it that women have been told, for decades, that they are not "sex objects"? Is this why today's women don't wear dresses, skirts, makeup, have their hair done, they don't want to be seen as attractive?

Another thought.
In the mid 1960's the average family had a working father and a wife who stayed home and took care of the children. Today, over 60% of children are "latch-key children", where both parents work and are not at home when the children get out of school.

When you had the husband working and the wife staying at home, "Joe's Shoe Store" charged $5.00 for a pair of shoes. Then wives started to work, and "Joe" said, "Hey, Bob and Mary Smith are making two incomes, so I'll charge $10.00 for a pair of shoes, they can afford it".

So, today it's not a choice or a right for a woman to work, but an economic necessity. Remember, that the candy bar that cost $0.05 in 1965 now costs $0.75, that's a 1500% increase, and someone has to pay for it.
The Social Security Benefit in 1965 was $95.00 and in 2005 was $930.00, an increase of 1000%, falling 500% behind the real cost of everyday expenses.

In 1965 a new Ford car, full-size, 4 door, V-8 engine, cost $2,000.00 or 20% of a workers $10,000.00 yearly income. Today a new car cost $30,000.00, so the same job would have to pay $150,000.00 a year to be 20% of their income. How many people do you know, who make at least $150K?

I think it's a heck of a price to pay, to be able to say, "I can wear pants, if I want to".