UltraViolet Celebrates Equal Pay Victory for US Women’s Soccer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Celebrates Equal Pay Victory for US Women’s Soccer
WASHINGTON, DC — This morning, The Washington Post, and other outlets, reported that the US women’s and men’s national soccer teams have reached a deal with the US Soccer Federation that would equalize both salaries and bonuses, closing the contentious pay gap that had disadvantaged and discriminated against the decorated players in the US women’s team.
According to the USSF, the agreement makes the United States the first country to achieve equal pay for its men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Celebrating this historic victory, Bridget Todd, communications director for UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization that has supported the women’s soccer players, issued the following statement:
“The US women’s national soccer team are heroes both on and off the field. We celebrate their long deserved victory of equal pay with them today. This tremendous deal, achieved through tireless advocacy from the players of the US women’s national soccer team, and through solidarity from the players on the US men’s team – is proof positive that closing the pay gap for women is a good thing for everyone.
“But this victory also highlights that for too many women – equal pay for equal work is not a reality. Women lose more than $400,000 in earnings over a lifetime due to the pay discrimination – that number doubles for women of color.
“We hope this victory is a reminder for all women: you deserve equal pay for equal work.”
In 2015, UltraViolet pressured FIFA to close the pay gap after the 2015 Women’s World Cup champions netted only $2 million for their win, while the winners of the 2014 men’s World Cup netted $35 million. In contrast, the US men’s team was awarded a whopping $8 million prize after losing in the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup. As part of the effort, more than 72,000 UltraViolet members signed onto a petition urging FIFA demanding equal pay for the US Women’s National soccer team.
VIEW THE PETITION HERE: http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/fifa_women/
In 2019, UltraViolet targeted US Soccer demanding they enact an equal pay policy for men and women. Not long after, UltraViolet and members organized a petition delivery at US Soccer headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.
VIEW THE PETITION HERE: https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/us_soccer_equal_pay/
Earlier this year, UltraViolet resurfaced a TV ad from 2016 Olympics calling for the United States women’s soccer team to receive equal pay:
VIEW THE AD HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNRyHbbaeRM&feature=youtu.be
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