National Black Women’s Equal Pay Day
Aug. 4, 2022
Several weeks ago, I spent time with a dear friend who has been in academia for over a decade. She is an accomplished Black woman who earned her PHD years ago and has extensive teaching experience. Despite her impressive credentials, she recently learned that her institution was paying its Black faculty significantly less than their white counterparts. My friend believed she was paid $50,000 less than her counterparts with commensurate experience.
When the pay disparity was discovered, the institution allegedly said there was nothing they could do prompting some Black faculty members to leave in pursuit of equity, fairness, and respect. As she recounted her ordeal, I was reminded that Black women at all levels fight for respect and dignity at work. One could look at her and think, ‘she has it all together,’ yet fail to appreciate that even with her credentials, she is still underpaid and still battling the effects of racism on the job. What’s more, if my friend is fighting for pay equity, what becomes of Black women who do not have her skill set? Moreover, no one should have to work miracles to be paid fairly.
National Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is Sept. 21. The day is an opportunity to raise awareness around pay inequity and how it impacts Black women. According to National Today, “On average, Black women typically make just 62 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. The parental status also impacts the wage gap, with Black mothers making just 50 cents to every dollar a white father makes. The pandemic and social unrest about racial injustice have amplified existing inequities in America.”
Everyone who works hard, deserves an honest and competitive pay. But pay inequity exists due to anti-Blackness, sexism, and institutional racism. It is not that Black women are somehow less deserving than others. We face intersecting oppression – of gender, race, sexual orientation, and class – that make us uniquely vulnerable. Some Black women recount not receiving the leadership, coaching, and networking that could help us grow professionally. Others are competent and confident, yet still paid less.
It is important to note that even when we see Black women breaking barriers as the first or only, we cannot assume that all Black women are doing well. We measure our progress not by the exception – the Black women who broke through despite the odds – but by the norm. If Black women are paid between 50 cents and 62 cents to what white, non-Hispanic men earn, we are not thriving to the extent we could. Our work must center those at the margins understanding that our plight is inextricably linked with theirs.
