What A Way To Kick Off Women’s History Month

Here we are, over a decade into the Twenty-first century, and women are still making less than men (h/t The New Agenda). Moreover, women have to have more education to make as much as less educated men. That is just remarkable. And incredibly disturbing, if you ask me.

Some of the particulars of what women face are:

[snip]Among Americans with some form of post-high school education—a vocational, associate’s, bachelor’s, or advanced degree—men make more than $800 above women’s pay every month. And the gap widens as men and women climb educational ranks. Men with bachelor’s degrees in business make $1,000 more each month than their female classmates; among men and women with advanced degrees in business, the gap widens to $1,400 a month. In the natural sciences—the only sector in which men and women earned fairly equal pay at the associate’s and bachelor’s degree levels—the equity was erased among advanced degree holders. Men with advanced degrees in the natural sciences make about $2,600 more per month than their female peers (couldn’t you use an extra $31,200 a year?). Even in sectors traditionally regarded as feminine—education and liberal arts, for example—male earners outstripped female ones.[snip] (Click here to read the rest.)

I know I shouldn’t be surprised. The levels of sexism, even misogyny, which have reared their very ugly heads over the past few years were a portend of things to come, or in this case, continue.

I am sure we can all think of examples, but I’ll give you one. As many of you know, I am a huge soccer fan, and have attended a number of matches the US Women’s Soccer team have played, including a semifinal in DC the last year they won the World Cup in 1999.

But let’s start with the US Men’s Soccer team. How many World Cup titles have they won? Zero, though they came in third place in 1930. How many Olympic Gold medals have they won? Zero. Here is the US Men’s Soccer Team salaries:

[snip]U.S. men’s national team coach Bob Bradley earned $818,244 — about $600,000 in base salary and marketing compensation and the rest in bonuses for Confederations Cup and World Cup qualifying achievements.

Women’s coach Pia Sundhage: $219,635.

[...]

All U.S. men’s players who were with the squad for the Confederations Cup or World Cup qualifying cycle received bonuses. The biggest earners in 2009-10: Forward Jozy Altidore and reserve goalkeeper Brad Guzan at $150,639 apiece because they either played or were included on the game-day roster most often. The others were not listed.

Well, right off the block, you can see that the US Men’s National Coach makes almost FOUR TIMES the amount of the US Women’s National coach.

How many World Cups have the US Women won? Two,since 1991, along with one second place finish, and two third place finishes. They have won three Olympic Gold Medals (1196, 2004, 2008), nine CONCACAF championships, and eight Algarve Cups.

And here are US Women’s Soccer Team salaries through 2012:

[snip] The contract, negotiated by the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Players’ Association, calls for the U.S. Soccer Federation to pay at least $1.28 million annually to players in a residency, Associated Pres reported. At least 14 of these 20 players would be guaranteed annual salaries of $70,000 with the six others assured of being paid at least $50,000.

Additionally, the USSF would have the option of employing up to four more players at $30,000 per year and would have the right to call in other players for trials lasting up to six weeks.[snip]

This is a STUNNING disparity, especially considering how WILDLY successful the US Women’s National Soccer team is compared to the Men’s. Actually, there IS no comparison – the Women are heads and shoulders superior in their achievements than their male colleagues, yet the men have a much better rate of pay, and better playing opportunities than the women. Something is SERIOUSLY wrong with this picture.

And speaking of pictures, the following chart tells the tale. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words:

Uh, yeah. That says it all, and what it says is deplorable. Women still have to work harder than men, be better educated than men, to make as much as less qualified men.

There is something terribly wrong with this picture. Oh, and Happy Women’s History Month to you.

**My heart goes out to the family of Andrew Breitbart, taken too young and too soon. My deepest condolences to his wife and children. And, my sympathies to those who lost family in the tornadoes in Midwest…