In the International Monetary Fund’s latest analysis of the state of labor in the European Union’s Euro using countries, titled “Lifting Euro Area Growth: Priorities for Structural Reforms and Governance”, which can be found here, a list of suggestions and recommendations were given to many of the countries that make up the European Union for the purposes of reform. Among them, was a suggestion to the Republics of Austria, France, Slovakia, and Ireland to decrease the amount of income tax that women pay by 5%. Or put another way:

xy=xx-5;

where xy is the tax that men pay, and where xx is the tax that women pay.

Or, we can just add 5 to both sides, because math is fun!

xy+5=xx

Either way you look at it, xx is not equal to xy in this proposal, or likely in the eyes of the creators of these proposals. To them it seems that xx>xy…

On page 17 of their analysis, stands the proposal to grant women lower taxes than what men have to pay. Their rational is as follows:

To help the economies of these countries they should lower taxes to make work less punitive. But, why women only? What on earth is the rational for that? Is it their intention to make it harder for men to work than for women? It’s certainly the effect, when men have to work more hours just to get the same pay. And furthermore, how could increased child-care support possibly be managed in the cash-strapped countries while simultaneously cutting taxes for women-only? Wouldn’t then the answer be to raise taxes to allow for expansions of child-care systems? You can’t get something from nothing, and these governments would likely have to reduce child-care systems’ funding if they reduced taxes. Either that or other key systems in these countries, such as public transport or public health-care. This is beyond half-baked, and incredibly bigoted. Just imagine the International Monetary Fund proposing that, say, whites in the United States get a tax discount just for being white. I could almost see the Watts riots being eclipsed in a single day across the country if that were to happen.

As with most misandric outrages, however, it isn’t getting the attention it deserves as the vitriolic and sexist proposition that is is. An article at the Guardian, one of the United Kingdom’s leading online news sources, supports the measure, even dismissing the sexism of the proposal. The article is ‘Sexist’ tax cut would benefit Ireland as a whole, written by a Ms. Eleanor Fitzsimons. In it, she defends not only the proposal to make women’s taxes lower than men’s; but, she also brings up the Norwegian law, which set a strict gender quota on companies forcing them to deny men jobs if women made up less than 40% of the company’s payroll. She doesn’t care about men or equality. Her sole defense of this and other atrocities of justice is that it will help the economy. In other words, to her, money is far more important than fairness and what’s right. Therefore, why doesn’t she propose a return to slavery, for a 100% tax would surely help economies in the global recession…

The Journal, which is an Irish online news source, conducted a poll to find out how many supported the women-only tax reduction, which can be found here, and had rather sad results. Almost half of respondents supported the measure, putting the two sides at a impasse. The narrow majority against the proposal is the only thing that has brought me some hope over the event; but still, 44% in favor of a such sexism is still incredibly toxic and disgusting.

There have also been a few minor reports that discuss the proposal; but, remain neutral, and place no emphasis on how evil this is. They can be seen here and here, and their silence is our loss. The Journal also had an article, which can be found here; but, it too refused to take a side.

So where is the outrage and the anger? Essentially, only to be found at NewsWhip, with Rory Fitzgerald’s article, Tax Experts: IMF’s “Women’s Tax Rate” discriminatory and illegal; and, the Spearhead, with W.F. Price’s article, IMF Proposes Tax Cut for Irish Women. So, I congratulate Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Price for coming forward and arguing against this insult to equality.

Really, it’s amazing what people will say and do for money. They’ll watch as discrimination and injustice runs rampant, just as long as they can make a few more bucks on the side. I have have no idea if Austria, France, Slovakia, and Ireland will follow this proposal or implement similar measures; but, I hope that none of them do, and seek to be fair to their men, instead of using them for economic gain. Men shouldn’t have to carry more of the tax burden than women.

‘Sexist’ tax cut would benefit Ireland as a whole