The Oscars aired throughout the U.S. on Sunday, Feb. 22. Amonst the typical glitz and glamour of Hollywood, there were speeches given that highlighted ongoing struggles throughout the country.
Patricia Arquette, who won best actress in a supporting role, spoke out on gender pay equality.
“To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights,” Arquette said in her speech. “It is our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America.”
Her words sparked controversy, but in the state of Alabama, they hit home.
According to AL.com, Alabama women make 76 cents for every dollar a man makes, which puts Alabama at 40th in the nation when it comes to pay equality.
The University follows a similar trend.
In the study “Regard Gender: Eight SEC Doctoral Granting Land Grant Institutions,” by the Women’s Leadership Institute at Auburn, the University was among the worst of the SEC schools regarding pay disparities at the professor level, excluding associate and assistant professors.
In 2007, female professors were paid, on average, 7 percent less than their male counterparts. By 2013, that increased to 12 percent.
This means the pay disparity in Auburn has increased over the years as attention to the gender pay gap has increased.
Female assistant professors, on average, were paid 11 percent less than their male counterparts in 2013. Similar to female professors, the pay gap has increased from nine percent in 2001. The average associate professors had less of a pay gap, with women being paid an eight percent difference in 2013. The gap also remained largely the same from 2002-13.
Auburn University has a non-discriminatory policy that declares it has no tolerance against discriminations based upon sex, yet the pay gap remains.
Payment equality is not a novelty.
We have come a long way from women not being able to vote and jobs being listed by gender. In the U.S., women enjoy the freedom to climb the ranks to CEO, live independently, vote, get divorced and choose to pursue any job they desire, yet throughout all of this social progress, a disparity in pay remains.
The citizens and companies of Alabama, especially Auburn University, need to address their gender pay gap inequalities.
It is the 21st century and well past time for a change.
Women should not still be earning less than their male counterparts. They have fought for their rights and now work as equals among their male co-workers. It is time for their payment to reflect that.
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