April 2, 2019

Ms. Foundation on Equal Pay Day

Ms. Foundation on Equal Pay Day

NEW YORK (April 2, 2019) – Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Teresa C. Younger released the following statement on Equal Pay Day:

“Equal Pay Day is not a day to celebrate. It symbolizes the extra three months and two days, on average, every woman has to work to earn what white men earned in the prior year. It’s hardly a day for all women, especially women of color who must work for many more months to reach parity.

“The average white woman earns 80 cents to a dollar compared to white men, while Black women earn 61 cents to the dollar, Native American women earn 59 cents, and Latinas bring home 53 cents. That is thousands of yearly income lost – and that is not invested back into our communities – simply due to entrenched racism and sexism.

“The House of Representatives has finally passed the Paycheck Fairness Act last week, a bill that was first introduced over two decades ago to close the wage gap. Made possible by the incredible women who have taken their seats as Representatives at the beginning of this year, this legislation is a great example of what can happen when women have a strong voice in government and our concerns are addressed – although it is only a first step towards dismantling the barriers women face in their pursuit of economic justice.

“From family leave and affordable child care to access to healthcare, there are a myriad of complex economic issues affect women everyday. The Ms. Foundation and our grantee partners are dedicated to fighting against the systemic inequality that places undue financial burdens on women. We urge the Senate to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and take a critical first step towards achieving economic justice for all.”

Ms. Foundation spokespeople are available for interviews by phone or in-person from NYC. To schedule, please contact Sunshine Sachs at [email protected].

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For 45 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has worked to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. The Ms. Foundation invests in, and strengthens the capacity of women led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change in the lives of women. With equity and inclusion as the cornerstones of true democracy, the Ms. Foundation works to create a world in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued, and power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.