The first episode of the Huffington Post’s new video series Celebs Have Issues is out and features Kristen Bell showing American businesses how to cut labor costs without resorting to outsourcing. It turns out there’s an enormous, untapped source of cheap labor right here in the United States: women! At 77 cents on the dollar, women are a bargain—and, as the video shows, women of color are even more economical. It’s pretty funny—the running joke of Bell calling everyone “Kathy” is great—and it’s nice to see the film’s upbeat, HR-friendly style used to point out structural problems rather than encouraging women to lean in.
But some of Bell’s claims are a little dubious in ways that may draw the ire of men’s rights activists and other people with a definitely-not-situational commitment to truth. To start, Bell says women won’t ask for raises. In fact, the truth is much more nuanced: Women do ask for raises—they’re just not very likely to get them. What’s more, the exact amount of money businesses save by hiring women may not be the full 23 cents Bell promises, though there’s little question they’re still paid less than men.* Finally Bell touts savings stemming from not having to provide maternity leave, but in today’s political climate even Donald Trump has to pretend he’ll find a way for America to catch up with the rest of the civilized world, regardless of what our brave job creators want. Still, Bell’s “Pinksourcing” video is a valuable reminder that the world is in a race to the bottom right now—and the United States is not in the business of losing races. No matter the cost—money, dignity, other people’s lives—American businesses will find a way to pay workers less. Even if that means hiring more women.
Correction, Sept. 14: This article originally misstated the amount of savings achieved by paying women 77 cents on the dollar.
