Regarding the recent Kennebec Journal piece, “Despite progress, Maine women still earn less,” the online comments — wow.

The blowback probably shouldn’t be surprising in these times, but judging by the volume and overall condescension, that item must really have hit a nerve — how dare we bring up such issues! I think my favorites were the little lectures regarding our “life choices.” Of course, everyone must make difficult decisions throughout life and live with the consequences, but I can assure these gentlemen that if women’s circumstances were affected predominantly by their own choices, many of their lives would look very different.

If nothing else, think of multigenerational family caregiving. How many men scale back, pause, or abandon their careers to fill such needs? Yes, of course there are many situations when it makes more sense for the women to take it on (mainly because they’re earning far less than their husbands), and we generally take on those roles lovingly, but it’s not necessarily always a choice.

And no, it’s not because we’re naturally better suited to it. The few times I’ve known of men who have been caregivers, they’ve been very good at it. Sadly in such situations, they’re also often subject to scorn, another unfortunate by-product of a sexist society.

So if you guys can’t muster any empathy for our financial situation, use your imaginations and try to picture a world where men with degrees are consistently out-earned by uneducated women.

Ginny Stanhope

Hallowell