It’s 2018, Where’s Our Equal Pay?

Feminism has been a topic of conversation for years – but it wasn’t until recently that people really started to speak up about the things that lots of society are too reluctant to talk about. Catcalling, harassment, discrimination and body shaming to name just a few, but the list goes on. And don’t forget, feminism is for ALL genders!

Now more than ever people are being made aware of how toxic and fragile masculinity can be. I could talk about loads of things that I have an issue with regarding equality between men and women – but there’s one thing that sticks out to me a lot – the “invisible” but significant gender pay gap.

LAPP, LAPP The Brand, Leomie Anderson, Feminism, Gender, Pay Gap, BBC, Women's Football, Inequality, Neymar, Theresa May, Parliament, Ivan Illich

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We often hear that “It’s rubbish” and that “There’s no such thing!”, but is that really the truth?

Of course not.

Even the BBC, one of the biggest companies in the UK, had a bit of explaining to do when a problem with their salary distribution surfaced. According to the BBC, men working for them earn an average of 9.3% more than women. However, Lord Hall, director general at the BBC, has pledged to close the pay gap by 2020 and said the corporation should be “an example of what can be achieved when it comes to pay, fairness, gender and representation”.

2020? I’m not waiting that long, and neither are you.

And don’t even get me started on women’s football – it’s even worse! A salary survey by Sporting Intelligence found that the combined pay of those playing in the top seven women’s football leagues equalled that of a single male footballer – Neymar. And no, we can’t lean back on the dated argument that men are better at sports than women. Equal pay needs to be achieved.

LAPP, LAPP The Brand, Leomie Anderson, Feminism, Gender, Pay Gap, BBC, Women's Football, Inequality, Neymar, Theresa May, Parliament, Ivan Illich

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Theresa May, a female figurehead and our PM, claimed she couldn’t close the pay gap in her office. I’d call that a poor excuse. And talk about underrepresentation! 208 women MPs were elected at the 2017 General Election, 32% of all MPs and a record high. Prior to 1987 women had never been more than 5% of MPs. Come on Theresa, show your support to the women!

As perfectly put by Ivan Illich, an Austrian philosopher:

“I know of no industrial society where women are the economic equals of men. Of everything that economics measures, women get less.”

It’s honestly a joke! Currently, the average British woman earns £2.53 less than the average British man per hour. Not exactly fair is it? Why should we, as hard working women, be paid less than men? If the problem was the other way around, and men were earning less than women, a much bigger fuss would be made. Yet, there are still companies who get away with it because no one bothers to check. So – let us strive for  total equality of genders – through pay, fair treatment, in sports, employment and any other way we can.

Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell your neighbours. Spread the word because change has to come. 

 Written by Lily Rose

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