Apparently, today is Equal Pay Day. What Ive gathered is that today marks “the date that symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.” While I have many thoughts about this, I wholeheartedly feel that everyone, regardless of gender, race… should be compensated equally for equal work. I do feel that the statistics, like all statistics, are being manipulated to suit peoples agendas. I also feel that things arent as fair as they should be. With that said, I am going to be focusing my attention today on the US Female Soccer Players.
The ladies of the United States soccer team are not compensated as well as the gentlemen and feel that they are being discriminated against. I really dont know much about it other than what Ive read in the New York Times article linked above. What I do know is that they are not doing the same job. The men play against men and the women play against women. I am certain that if the women were playing in the mens league they would get paid the same. I am also certain that most, if not all, of them would not make the cut. You can get as mad at me as you want about that being sexist but its not, its just plain fact. There is a reason that the Olympics have separate competitions for men and women. The fastest woman ever recorded running the 100 yard dash is Florence Griffith Joyner. She did it in a blistering 10.49 seconds. There are at least 300 men who have recorded times of 10.10 or less. The bottom line is that men, as a whole, and especially at the elite level, are faster and stronger than women are.
Now, just because they dont play in the same league doesnt necessarily mean that they shouldnt be compensated as well. What I am curious about is how much revenue the womans team brings in for US Soccer. If they are pulling similar attendance at games and the ticket price is comparable, then by all means, pay them the same. I really dont know who pulls in more money. (A long 64 second Google search came back with inconclusive evidence.) What I do know is that this is not a matter of work place inequality, its a matter of dollars.
As for you women, or anyone for that matter, who are being discriminated against; dont let the bastards drag you down. If you are doing the same job as someone else then you should be compensated the same for it.
