Asking for equal pay doesn’t seem like asking for much, does it? Today, April 10th is Equal Pay Day and even though women have made tremendous strides toward equality, there is still so much more work to do.
According National Committee on Pay Equity website “Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages.”
An article written by Brett Molina “Why #EqualPayDay matters, and what it says about women at work” states that women are paid about 80% of what men make and to reach equal pay, women will have to wait 100 years to earn the same pay as men.
Basically, we’ll be waiting until 2119 to earn equal pay for doing the same jobs as men. The wait will be longer for women of color.
As of today white women make $0.87, Asian women make $0.79, black women earn $0.63, Native American women earn $0.57, and Latina women earn $0.54 to every dollar their white male counterparts make.
Equal pay day is celebrated nationally and is a campaign that relies on the people to fight for equal pay. To honor Equal Pay Day, there are a few things you can do. Here’s a list of things people participating in equal pay day are doing:
1. Wear Red!
People are encouraged to wear red for equal pay day.National Committee on Pay Equity explains that red was chosen to symbolize how far women and minorities are ‘in the red’ with their pay.
2. Have discussions with your peers about days like Equal Pay Day.
Once people become aware and educated about the wage gap, they can participate in discussions that will make changes in society and open peoples minds about the inequalities women face.
3. Learn about abou contact your local legislators to act on Equal Pay Day!
Your local government officials are the ones that make laws that impact your day to day lives. Contact them about issues that concern you and don’t forget to vote in local elections. When you do that you can elect the people you feel best represent you!
Happy Equal Pay Day! Let’s keep making strides toward equality!