This is a guest post from Representative Tana Senn
When I was in high school, there was no girls soccer team. The boys had a team, but not one for my friends and me. So my classmates and I stood up for ourselves. So many of us tried out for the team, they had no choice but to create one for us. I learned an important lesson that I've carried forward throughout my life.
When you speak up against an injustice, you can create change.
That is why I introduced the Equal Pay Opportunity Act this legislative session. The bill builds on Washington State’s 1943 Equal Pay Law, the 1963 federal Equal Pay Law, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.
Critics asked ‘Is another law really needed?’ Unfortunately, yes. At our current pace of pay equality, the gender wage gap will persist until 2071 without additional changes.
So on this April 14—the day when women can finally take a sigh of relief for they have earned over 16 months as much as men did in 12—let’s remember that we must stand up for ourselves. We must work as a team. We must get involved in the leadership of our communities, of business, and of government.
On this Equal Pay Day, let’s work toward equal pay…and equal representation on all levels of government.