Women should earn what they are worth. No disagreement there. But what happens when the choices that women make about their careers directly influence their pay?

We are led to assume that women are being unfairly compensated because of their gender and, for minority women, their race. However, it is possible that women make trade-offs to achieve the work-life balance they seek and that they pursue fulfilling occupations, which may not come with a large salary. On so-called Equal Pay Day, these considerations must ground any serious discussions about women’s advancement and equality.