Miss Utah on the blink due to tough question

[_ZelphtheGreat]

Was she marked down because she didn't include a prayer for world peace in the answer?

[_Bazooka]

Marissa Powell, 21-years old, was powering her way through the competition when she hit a major roadblock. She was asked about how women are continuing to earn less than men in America, and what she thinks that means for our society.

I would have asked for specific evidence. It's not enough and no proof at all to take the overall pulse of the nation. One has look at it company by company to see if women are being paid less than men for the same work.

That would have been the gist of the only rational answer though I doubt some would take it that way. However, usually (hopefully) they aren't looking for an answer they agree with, just a coherent one that addresses the subject.

To be fair, women senior leaders are paid a lot less than the senior men in The Corporation Of The President...

[_moksha]

I would have asked for specific evidence. It's not enough and no proof at all to take the overall pulse of the nation. One has look at it company by company to see if women are being paid less than men for the same work.

Good point. She could have issued a categorical denial or a call for references. Perhaps she could have given the answer to a question the interviewer should have asked. At the very least she could have exclaimed, "Nothing to see here. Move along".

I have no first hand experience of this, but I imagine that if she was able to coast through life on good looks alone, she may not have bothered to developed her powers of critical thinking, but as a Utahan she might have stated that "women do not need the Priesthood if they have Motherhood".

[_Quasimodo]

I have no first hand experience of this, but I imagine that if she was able to coast through life on good looks alone, she may not have bothered to developed her powers of critical thinking, but as a Utahan she might have stated that "women do not need the Priesthood if they have Motherhood".

I have had a little experience at this (maybe to my shame).

The point of asking complicated questions of pageant contestants is to see how well they would do with journalist's questions if they became Miss America (or whatever).

Any evasive answer would be fine except an awkward tap dance. Miss Utah gave an awkward tap dance.

[_Nightlion]

A pic if you please: http://www.New Jersey.com/entertainment/tv/inde ... umble.html

She made a headline. Give her that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC4S13jcki4

[_bcspace]

Yes, the only rational way to determine demographic trends is to favor anecdotal evidence over broad statistical data.

It just goes to show that you don't have the analytical skills necessary to assess the situation. For example, you could have two companies who pay their employees differently for the same job, but within each company they hire and treat their employees quite equally. However, the lower paying company happens to employ many more women than the other. Things like that skew the national data.

And of course everyone works for a "company," don't they, bcspace?

A stunning assessment from someone of your meager abilities. So what about women running their own businesses? Especially sole proprietors or those who hire more women than men yet are low paying? Those have absolutely no bearing on the supposed problem. Of course one looking to make it a problem would eagerly count such things. Like Democrats for instance who we already know don't treat women in terms of pay and opportunity in political machines and offices as well as Republicans do.

[_Darth J]

Yes, the only rational way to determine demographic trends is to favor anecdotal evidence over broad statistical data.

It just goes to show that you don't have the analytical skills necessary to assess the situation. For example, you could have two companies who pay their employees differently for the same job, but within each company they hire and treat their employees quite equally. However, the lower paying company happens to employ many more women than the other. Things like that skew the national data.

If only the Bureau of Labor Statistics had thought of that. http://www.bls.gov/cps/earnings.htm

And, you know, come up with some kind of state-by-state survey or something. http://www.bls.gov/regions/womensearnings.htm

You're right, though. I guess my failure to prefer hypothetical anecdotal evidence over broad statistical data to determine overall demographic trends must be due to my poor analytic skills.

Since this is the way really smart analytic people like yourself figure stuff out, I'm sure you will agree that I should read a couple of stories about local LDS leaders molesting underage children in order to determine how common it is for LDS leaders to molest children.

And of course everyone works for a "company," don't they, bcspace?

A stunning assessment from someone of your meager abilities.

Oh, so you don't think that gathering anecdotal evidence by comparing one specific company to another specific company really will give you a broad demographic picture across a wide range of employers? Huh. I wonder why you said that, then.

[_Darth J]

So what about women running their own businesses? Especially sole proprietors or those who hire more women than men yet are low paying? Those have absolutely no bearing on the supposed problem.

Oh. So, like, comparing anecdotal evidence from one specific company to anecdotal evidence from another specific company won't really address all the different form of employment there are? I bet the kind of person who wouldn't know that would be, like, all oblivious to sarcasm and stuff.

Of course one looking to make it a problem would eagerly count such things. Like Democrats for instance who we already know don't treat women in terms of pay and opportunity in political machines and offices as well as Republicans do.

Yeah, or all those Democrats who have churches in Utah and treat women as subservient to men and won't let them have leadership positions and say that their god will only let men have the priesthood. Goddamn liberals. Always treating women as inferior, right, bcspace?

By the way, remember the OP in this thread? What state is Miss Utah from? I forgot.

[_Darth J]

To be fair to our right-wing LDS friends, Miss Utah probably isn't stupid just because she is from Utah. She's probably stupid because she's a female.

Gender is an eternal feature of our spiritual identities, sisters. So you were foreordained to make pies and crochet while the menfolk take care of all that thinking and being in charge and hard stuff like that. Just don't you worry your pretty little heads about it. Remember, even though we're the head, you're the neck.

[_Darth J]

Why don’t women hold the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How do Mormon women lead in the Church?

Audra answered:

As a young girl I remember asking my Mom out of simple curiosity why Women didn't have the Priesthood. She told me an answer I have never forgotten. She immediately asked me why Men don't have babies?! As silly as it sounded, it made complete sense to me. My Mom then explained that we each have roles in life. She answered in a way that a young child would understand & yet as an adult now, remains a truth that I hold dear to my heart.