Photo: Women earn an average of just $.77 for ever $1 men are paid, Latinas paid
According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, the average woman in the United States, working full-time, is paid $10,622 less than their male counterparts, with minority women being paid even less.
The study was done in conjunction with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and examined data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Examples in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Michigan were given to illustrate what the difference in pay would equate to if the wage gap were closed.
In Alaska: 1.7 years’ worth of food
In California: 2,100 more gallons of gas
In Connecticut: 15 more months of rent
In Michigan: 10 more months of mortgage and utility payments
Debra L. Ness, president, National Partnership for Women and Families said, “This new data illustrate the very real harm unequal wages are doing to America’s working families. It is long past time to close the gender-based wage gap. With women playing an increasingly important role as family breadwinners, there is no time to waste.”
On average, women are only paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to full-time working men. Since the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was passed, the wage gap has decreased by about half a cent a year, which, if continuing at this pace, would mean women will not earn the same as men until 2058.
For African-American and Latino women, the gap is even greater. In 2009, African-American women working full-time throughout the year were only paid 61 cents for every dollar paid to men, and Latino women only earning 52 cents for each dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men.
