The first argument your average ignorant man most likely thinks of when he first hears the word “Feminist” is: Let’s join forces against men and close the wage gap and take over the world. That argument is only half true. Feminists are joining forces all over the world, and we are fighting to close the wage gap but that cannot be done without the help of male employers and colleagues. And for all my women of color reading this, this article is hopefully another step to getting us the equality we deserve.
A few weeks ago I was interviewed about feminism, and asked “Well hasn’t the government done something about the difference in the wage gap?” Well yes, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was instilled decades ago, but the U.S. has yet to achieve it’s goal, which former President John F. Kennedy first intended, when the bill was signed. Of course, we cannot ignore the fact that the wage gap has decreased tremendously, considering several factors have changed throughout the years: Women these days outnumber men on campus, less women are becoming stay at home moms, and we are now motivated more than ever to dominate the industries. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, “if we keep going at the current rate, women will not see equal pay till 2059.”
“Women will not see equal pay till 2059.”
Did you know that between women, our pay also differs on our race? We are no longer being compared simply by gender, our skills and efficiency are predetermined by our race. Today, the average white woman makes 79 cents to a man’s dollar, but the average hispanic woman makes 54 cents to a man’s dollar. Think about it like this, all together, full-time female employees lose more than $840 billion every year, this money could be used for food, further schooling, and birth control (you know that thing congress is trying to take away from us, but we’ll leave that topic for another discussion.)
This isn’t another angry rant by a teen feminist, this is a call to action. As a young woman, I know it’s my right and my duty to make sure that by the time I have kids of my own, they won’t have to worry about making less than their male co-workers. But what will you do? Will you use your voice to end this wage gap which could change the lives of women like me, like you, all over the U.S.? Or will you stay quiet and accept that to this day, we are still not equals?
