President Joe Biden hails USWNT work to close gender pay gap
By Tom Gott
President of the United States Joe Biden has vowed to listen to cries from the USWNT and continue the fight to close the gender pay gap.
In honour of Equal Pay Day in the US, national team stars Megan Rapinoe and Margaret Purce were invited to the White House to give a speech on their battle to be paid the same as their male counterparts.
Thanks for coming by, @mPinoe. pic.twitter.com/vjqvrOTQBJ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 25, 2021
The USWNT national team have won the last two World Cups and are widely accepted to be the best women's team on the planet, but they are still paid less than the stars of the male team who didn't manage to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
"The United States Women's National Team has won four World Cup championships, we've won four Olympic gold medals on behalf of this great country. We've filled stadiums, we've broken viewing records, we've sold out our jerseys, all the popular metrics by which we are judged," Rapinoe said (via People). "And yet despite all of this, we're still paid less than our male counterparts."
To show his support for the cause, Biden took to Instagram to thank Rapinoe and Purce for their visit and pledge to fight for women all across the country.
"It doesn’t matter if you’re an electrician, an accountant, or part of the best soccer team in the world — the pay gap is real," he wrote. "But with Megan, Margaret, and countless others leading the fight for equal pay, I’m confident we’ll finally close it."
Rapinoe also took the opportunity to criticise the actions of the United States Soccer Federation, who she claimed had intentionally tried to dismiss her challenge.
A huge thank you to @POTUS @FLOTUS and @WhiteHouse for having @100Purcent and I, and the rest of our teammates for a fantastic Equal Pay Day event. We appreciate all your support of our team, and of women everywhere. #EqualPayDay
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) March 24, 2021
"In fact, instead of lobbying with the women's team in our efforts for equal pay and equality in general, U.S. Soccer Federation has continually lobbied against our efforts, and the efforts of millions of people marginalized by gender in the United States," she continued.
"And if it can happen to us, and it can happen to me, with the brightest light shining on us at all times, it can and it does happen to every person who is marginalized by gender."