We are born and raised to promote the value of equality, and we grow up believing that our country is based upon freedoms that can’t be taken away. But, as a country, we have failed to understand exactly what equal means. You may be thinking that this was only a flaw of the past. Sadly, the misconception still lingers today.
In the news, Facebook feed and daily conversations, you see and hear people fighting for the rights of numerous races, religions, genders and the list goes on. The issue of unjust equality has been brought to our attention recently in one particular group of athletes: The US Women’s Soccer team. Just last year, the team won their third consecutive World Cup, and this year, they hope to win their fifth Olympic gold medal.
Players earn a salary for friendly matches, World Cup qualifying matches and World Cup games, plus additional bonuses for winning. Despite the women’s accomplishments, they receive a shocking quarter of what the men’s soccer team makes.
Not to bash the US Men’s soccer team, but their recent accomplishments fall drastically behind the women’s. According to "NY Daily News," just last year, US Soccer received over 16 million dollars from the ladies, while the men caused a two million dollar loss. Therefore, if salary is based upon wins, something is not adding up here. Recognizing the need for action, five members of the women’s team, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Rebecca Sauerbrunn, Hope Solo and Alex Morgan, have filed a complaint which demands for equal pay.
It is horrendous to assume that the women would settle for a salary that is less than their accomplishments. The women have been given an opportunity to play for the US team, but it is a position they earned. It does not mean that they should simply forget about the unfair treatment and rather just stay quiet and be grateful. They are pushing for equality in professional athletics, but their actions are not just about the cash. I believe this says a lot about the gap in respect and stereotypes accused to females. Women are still to this day generalized as the weaker sex, and the soccer federation has tried to take advantage of that.
The fight for equal pay for this group of women is extremely important and historical. They are using their power and popularity to do great things, which I wish every celebrity would do. As a woman, I thank the US Women’s soccer team for pushing for equality, which shines a light to reveal the wage gap in our country. Some of us are guilty of sitting back and accepting unfair treatment because we feel we don’t have a voice. Think of how many civil advancements we’ve witnessed in history. What would our country be like if those individuals did not speak up? Dare I say that our country still ignorantly believes to an extent that men are worth more than women...? Yikes, I did. I don’t know about you, but I would appreciate earning a salary based on my hard work rather than the fact that I’m a woman. Be a leader, not a follower, people.
