Today marks Equal Pay Day… wait, let me correct that. Today marks White Women’s Equal Pay Day. The symbolic day is dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. In the United States, this date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.
We must note that it was first observed in 1996 by the National Committee on Pay Equity, a coalition of women’s and civil rights organizations, labor unions, professional associations and individuals working to eliminate sex and race based wage discrimination and to achieve pay equity. I’m all behind the effort. But we know that once you take a look at the issue, there are even further stemming issues coming from that.
We see that when it comes to minority women. Let me pause here and state for the record, this is EXACTLY what black people are talking about in regards to the conversation on the need for reparations and every other systemic set back befalling minorities in the United States. It would be foolish to act as if there are no differences in the privilege that even those who believe they are being suppressed [white women] have at their disposal.
In 2019, the average salary for women across demographics in the United States was 80% of the average men earned. African American and/or Black women earn $.61 for every dollar, and our official equal pay day is August 22, 2019. I Hear That Girl! will be covering the issue beginning today through the Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Stay tuned for two special podcast guests on The Dope Black Chick as we discuss this issue and many more concerning the state of black women’s financials. Get signed up for the mailing list, to make sure you don’t miss “not
