This week, we’re all talking about the gender pay gap. This is due to the movie All the Money in the World. Where Michelle Williams was paid 1% the salary of her co-star Mark Wahlberg for the re-shoot.
The Office for National Statistics claims that the pay gap isn’t due to women taking on part-time work, which we already knew, and that discrimination ‘may’ play a part in this.
In response, Mark Wahlberg donated his earnings to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund.
“I 100% support the fight for fair pay and I’m donating the $1.5M to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in Michelle Williams’ name.” – Mark Wahlberg
Michelle Williams responded with her own statement, citing the activist friends who taught her to use her voice, her fellow actresses that stood with her, and the powerful men who listen.
“If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice.”
These past few months we’ve been talking about Hollywood, and not in a positive way. In the past year, Hollywood has become a hot-bed for the key issues we face again and again in the ‘real world’.
It’s got me thinking. How many of us are earning less than our male colleagues?
Today’s question of the day is all about the pay gap. Many of you must have some experience with this issue. We want to hear about it, how have you been affected? Did you ever feel like your experience was undermined?
Let’s talk, it’s a hot topic and we want to get to the heart of it.
Drop your experiences into the comments section below and let’s chat about it…
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It’s something I think about a lot. I am not sure if I personally earn less but I know a few friends who feel like they aren’t valued as much as men with the SAME EXPERIENCES AND JOB TITLES! They are treated like an expert opinion just for being a guy. Would love to hear other peopel’s take on this…
Honestly it’s something I’d love to ask my superiors but I’m not sure. I think it’s funny how Hollywood always leads the way for these conversations though. We should talk about these issues more even when Hollywood isn’t involved
http://www.lifewithjen.com
It is a worrisome thing that has been with us for centuries. Frankly, I don’t think the fight for equal pay will be easy. I’ve not experienced it, and I hope I do not. But it is an ongoing conversation here in Nigeria.
http://www.onyixtus.com
Sadly, I’ve definitely experienced not only this due to my gender but my race as well.
At one of my former family counseling job…. I found out that my white friends were paid over 10-15k more a year than I was – even though I had a Masters degree and they only had their Bachelors. My friends AND I were incredibly upset. Our male friends, at the same company were paid 5-15k more than the women. It was insane. We were young and unsure of what steps to take next but we were shocked that the statistics that were out there were actually true. It was a huge wake up call for all of us.
It was also, an incentive for all of us to not be ashamed to share our salaries. The only way we CAN fight the establishments that create this – is to know. So I’m super glad that many Millennials are more likely to share their salaries with one another than in previous generations.
http://www.TheLexieWilson.com
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s been all over the news and it’s so interesting that many of us have experienced this, especially when you’re young and you don’t want to “rock the boat” you might accept the lesser pay. I completely agree that an honest conversation about pay is the only way to really know!
I worked as a Key Account Manager in Software Development. Unfortunately, I experienced the same thing and earned almost 50 percent less. When I insisted on a salary increase, I was promised 10 percent more salary. After two weeks, the promise was revised because my boss felt pressurized by me. As a consequence, I quit the job. Unfortunately that is the sad reality.
That’s terrible Susanna. And I think often we are afraid/ashamed to talk frankly about our pay but it’s so interesting to hear your stories and to know that it really does happen.