By: Kirstin Pianalto, Graduate Intern
In the United States, the average women working full-time earns only 83% of her male counterpart. Of course, we cannot pretend that all women are paid equally. As shown above, women’s pay ranges from 87% to 55% of what a white man makes, with most women of color earning less than white women. The pay gap exists for all ages and at all levels, in every state, and in nearly every field of work. Because the pay gap continues to exist as women advance, there is an even greater wealth gap between genders. Additionally, despite earning less money throughout their career, more women have attended and graduated from institutions of higher education. Earning less money in addition to spending more money on education has resulted in women having 2/3 the total student loan debt in the US. It is important to note that research on the pay gap has not yet moved beyond the gender binary, but it is likely that non-binary and transgender individuals are also on the low, if not the lowest, end of the gap. While the pay gap is currently decreasing, at the current rate it will not be closed until 2093.
AAUW Start Smart
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has been advocating for gender equity and economic security since 1881. They are putting in the work in the hope that we can live to see, if not experience, equitable pay. AAUW publishes research reports, supports policy changes, and provides trainings and workshops aimed at improving gender equity. Two of their workshops, WorkSmart and StartSmart, focus on salary negotiation and advocating for your worth. WorkSmart is designed for continuing professionals, while StartSmart’s aim is to prepare individuals to negotiate their salary when beginning a new job. This year, Women*s Student Services is partnering with the Career Services Network to bring AAUW’s StartSmart workshops to you! If you want to make more money or care about gender equity, this workshop is for you. Our first of three prescheduled workshops for the semester is next Monday, September 27 at 6 PM. Please register via Handshake if you would like to attend. In addition, we can send our AAUW trained facilitators to you! Just fill out this form and a member of MSU’s AAUW StartSmart Team will be in touch. Attending a workshop is one small step for you, yet one giant leap for womenkind.
Interested in sharing your own "Thought Of The Day" or TOTD? Email us at wss@msu.edu.
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