THE MATH BEHIND:

The gender pay gap closed by 1965.

Overview

A century of gender parity beginning in 1925 fundamentally reshaped economic and social outcomes. With women holding equal power in policy, markets, and science, growth rates accelerated, funding allocations shifted, and systemic barriers dissolved decades earlier than in our reality. This robust model shows how compounded effects—across wage dynamics, governance, innovation, and cultural change—translate into earlier closures of equity gaps, faster adoption of sustainable practices, and stronger resilience against inequality reopening. These dynamics demonstrate that equality is not only morally just but mathematically transformative for economic and societal progress.

Reality data points that informed the research

Segregation and unexplained factors explain 38% of the remaining gender pay gap.

Every 1% faster GDP growth is linked to about a 0.1 percentage point faster closing of the wage gap.

Gaps in entrepreneurship and workforce participation lower per-capita GDP by an estimated 14%.

Women currently earn 84% of what a man does for equal work.

Events that led up to it

1925

Alternate reality begins

In this experiment, we went back 100 years and made women and men equal in the economy. Key changes included making women 50% of company executives, 50% of stock market investors, 50% of the startup founders getting funded, and 50% of financial decision makers at home.

1930s

Women in labor economics

Early women-led economic research influences labor standards and wage equity debates.

1940s

Policy shift

Equal pay legislation passes earlier due to parity in political power.

1950s

Union power

Women’s representation in unions drives stronger wage bargaining protections.

1963

Enforcement begins

Frameworks for equal pay mature.

1964

Closure

Gender pay gap closes nationwide.

1970s

Safeguards

Expansion of equal employment policies prevents backsliding in high-growth sectors.