Is it just my family or are men losing jobs at a much faster rate than women?
During this downturn, four close relatives have lost their jobs: my son, my husband, my son-in-law and my brother-in-law. These men live in 3 different states and worked in a wide range of occupations: education, research, printing and banking. My brother-in-law's job in manufacturing is probably going to go soon. Each situation is different, but it is starting to look suspicious.
Is this just a coincidence or are others seeing the same thing?
Update: In response to the various statistical discussions below: This is not a situation of one town or one industry going under. None of the wives lost jobs. The men live in three different states and none live in the same county. The men made more than their wives in two cases and less in two others. The family is not a bunch of losers. Two of the jobs required graduate school degrees. I don't believe any of these men have lost jobs as adults.
I know 4 couples do not make a trend but a New York Times article mentioned in the comments below reports that males are 82% of those newly unemployed.
Women may well reach pay parity by the end of this recession. I fear it won't be in the way we wished. Men will make less to match us.