Bridging the Gap

Today is Equal Pay Day, a day that brings awareness to the pay disparity between women and men. This day symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, illustrating that because men make more than women, women must work longer for the same pay.

As a senior member of the Katie Hill for Congress team, at a time when women are still grossly underrepresented in our government (and issues like pay equity continue to go unaddressed because we aren’t at the decision-making table), I felt compelled to write about this important issue.

As a young woman in the workforce, I have faced many challenges. Being taken as seriously as my male counterparts, not being heard in meetings, harassment. However as a white, single woman under 30 without children, I actually make more than my male counterparts — women like me make up to 8% higher than my male counterparts. Many of my friends and former colleagues, however, do not have that same privilege. April 10 is recognized as Equal Pay Day. But for black women, their Equal Pay Day is August 7, almost 3 months later. For Native American women, it’s September 27. And for Latinas, it’s November 1 — Latinas have to work almost an entire year more for the same pay. This pay disparity extends beyond race as well, with mothers making on average 71 cents to a man’s dollar.

Combine this pay disparity with the fact that black and Latina women are increasingly likely to be a family’s sole breadwinner, with 70.7% of black mothers and 40.5% of Latina mothers bringing home the majority of a family’s income, and we don’t have to look much farther to understand why so many are living in poverty. Close the pay gap — comprehensively support women in the workforce — and we can make real progress to end poverty in our country.

One of the reasons I work with Katie Hill, and why as a resident of the 25th District, I am so excited to vote for her in June, is because I know Katie will make tackling these issues a top priority. Katie cares about women and families, has experience working with people in poverty to provide them with the tools they need to succeed, and perhaps most importantly, has the will and the courage to fight for people who for far too long have had their needs go unnoticed. Katie has what it takes to take on the big issues like pay equity, solve the problem at its core, and change lives.

So what will it take to address pay equity? First, let’s change our paid family leave policies. We must provide paid family leave for both mothers and fathers, allowing families to adjust to a new child and care for their baby without facing financial ruin. Providing only maternity care places the burden of child care solely on women, perpetuating a cycle in which women must sacrifice their careers once they start a family. For many women who serve as the sole breadwinner in the family, this can have devastating consequences. Creating uniform family leave programs is better for children, better for mothers and better for families, while removing the prejudice of employers against women of childbearing age.

We must also provide affordable and accessible early childcare and preschool options. Currently, childcare is fragmented, underfunded, and prohibitively expensive for so many families. When childcare is not available, women more frequently shoulder the childcare and other household duties. This problem affects lower income families more acutely. Katie has advocated for universal preschool as a strong first step, and I agree. Providing affordable options for childcare will allow women to continue to pursue their career and provide for their families.

Finally, there must be a culture shift. Many women initially get paid the same as their male counterparts, but that trails as their careers continue. Women are often passed over for promotions. Women are more likely to leave a position for family related issues. While there are many facets of how the pay gap grows, most can be addressed by valuing women in the workplace, and seeing and treating women as leaders. And frankly, to change these cultural barriers in the workplace, we need more women in office. As Katie says, “If we want a government more representative of the public’s values and perspectives, we need more women weighing in on all policy decisions.” We need women at the table when decisions about pay equity, child care, paid family leave, and so many other policy issues that disproportionately impact women’s lives are made, if we want to ensure women’s needs are met.

Working for Katie Hill has been an extraordinary opportunity. I am moved by the vast support of her campaign and the thousands of people donating and volunteering their time to help elect such a qualified candidate, ready to stand up for the issues that impact women and families, just as she has done throughout her career.

Women fought for the right to vote. We fought to ensure we have the right to choose what is best for our own bodies and families. We are still fighting to protect that right, and to ensure we are paid equally, and have a voice at every single decision-making table. I am proud to be on the front lines, fighting to bring real representation to young women so we can see ourselves as leaders, and know that someone will have our back in Washington.

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