A white woman in the United States today earns 78 cents to a white man’s dollar. It is even lower for minorities. An African-American woman earns 64 cents to a white man’s dollar while a Latina woman earns 56 cents to a white man’s dollar. It’s been almost 100 years since women gained the right to vote and were
recognized as Untied States citizens, yet we are still fighting for equality with our male counterparts.

Feminism is gender equality. Feminism is not just about female empowerment. It ensures that everyone is equal to each other. President Obama has been active in pursuing this issue through out his term. Throughout his eight years of presidency, Obama has been taking many steps toward economic equality, not just with women but minorities as well.

According to the 2014 U.S. Census Data, the two highest poverty rates are found among blacks and Hispanics. Blacks fall at 26 percent while Hispanics are found at 24 percent. Here are some highlights of the president’s steps toward economic equality:

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act bill signing:

President Obama signed this bill in 2009. This bill was named after Lilly Ledbetter, a woman who sought justice after she was discriminated against. It allows employees to challenge unequal pay in order to make sure that they get a fair salary.

Presidential Memorandum on Equal Pay:

This instructs the Secretary of Labor to propose a new regulation requiring federal contractors to submit summary data on compensation paid to their employees, including by race and gender. This will hold federal contractors responsible for how they treat employees.

White House Summit: The United States of Women

President Obama will be holding a summit to discuss equal economic opportunities. It will hold representatives from “Let Girls Learn” and “It’s On Us.” They will discuss education opportunities, health and wellness, economic prosperity, violence against women, and many other topics.

Though it doesn’t completely bring equality, it is one step closer. Something that will hopefully progress as time goes on.