Fair Pay: International Women’s Day 2016

We discussed this last year, but the theme of International Women’s Day 2016 is parity:

What can we do as individuals and a community to close the pay gap so that women are paid their worth?

One of Latinas Uprising’s focal points, when it comes to discussing women, equality, and progress is almost always on women and the workplace; most importantly, women and the income we earn.  The sad reality is that we earn a pittance compared to other groups and that impacts our quality of life (and that of our families), our earning potential, and our economic capital.  So any raised awareness on the income disparity and how to close gap is very much welcomed!

First, I think it’s imperative that we remember (as often as possible) that our economic power is less than almost all other groups.  It’s the reality that Latinas earn far less than their white female and male counterparts.  An average of 55 cents to the man’s dollar, but in some states it’s as low as forty-three cents.  43 cents.   That is so outrageous. And while many of us will have a higher earning power than that (hopefully), it doesn’t negate the fact that the wage gap grossly and unfairly affects our sisters and our community.  Over 2 million households are headed by Latinas and little less than half of those households live in poverty.

Of course, many people argue that the wage gap exists because more men go into STEM fields or into hard labor/blue collar jobs, so of course, those jobs pay more.  They also argue that women cut back on hours or leave work temporarily to care for children, so of course they lose earning potential when they’re not working as much as men.

Yes.  That is completely true.  But, why do more men enter those fields?  It’s not because men are naturally better at those fields (especially STEM fields), but rather they are encouraged to pursue those job, while women are actively discouraged from earning those degrees.  So don’t come at this like men just work harder, and thus, deserve more money because that’s just not the case.

And yes, women often do cut back hours when they have children or stop working outside the home to raise their children.  That is not because women are better suited for child-rearing; rather women areexpected to care for their children more so than men.  And often if a dual income isn’t sufficient to pay for the astronomical costs of daycare, it makes sense that the one that doesn’t make as much money will be the one to stay home.  Unfortunately, because of the income gap, it’s almost always the woman who will earn less.

Yet even when one accounts for degrees with higher-earning power, or the cost of child-rearing, that doesn’t explain how wage gaps still exist when men and women work in the in same fields.  So instead of finding ways to blame women for this gap or imply that men just deserve more money for their work–let’s talk about the real problem: earning only 55 cents results in real losses.

What could your family do with the extra earned income?

• You could buy 4 years of food
• Pay for more than a years’ worth of rent
• Contribute more to your local economy
• Pay off students loans
• Save for retirement

The list can go on and on.  More importantly, demanding equal pay reinforces the belief that the the work Latinas do is just as vital, necessary, and valued as everyone else’s.

So what can we really do?  There are many things we can demand of the status quo, but what can we do at an individual level so that we create immediate impact in our lives?

One. Be savvy about your salary.  Research your salary and compare it to other similar positions to see if you’re being paid on par.  Ask questions–does your company allow transparency in salaries?  Can you negotiate for that?  Above all, practice advocating for yourself so that when it’s time to ask for raise or negotiate a salary, you can do it with confidence and a proven track-record.

Two. Investigate.  I’m like Levar Burton—don’t take my word for it.  Analyze the studies and policiesyourself.  Decide where you fall on the issues, and if like me, you believe this is a problem—start advocating for change.

Three. Help others.  Once you grow into your career, make sure you get involved as a mentor in either an alumni program or with a local bar association so that you can help younger professionals/students become comfortable asking for their worth.

What are some other ways we can ensure we are paid our fair share?