Having witnessed sexism at work I have a theory about this. I think men are more likely to fight for a raise than women.

If a man is turned down for a raise or promotion he thinks he deserves, he can argue for it and will sometimes be successful. If a woman is turned down for a raise or promotion she thinks she deserves, no matter how she handles the issue, people seem to treat it as a case of discrimination.

I’ve seen women quietly leave a company rather than fight for a raise because they didn’t want to create a controversy.

Sexual discrimination is real and hurts women. I don’t deny that. But I think making every personnel problem involving a women a case of sexual discrimination is more hurtful to women than it is helpful. It makes it impossible for a woman to assert herself without appearing to be an aggressive feminist.