Florida NOW

National Organization for Women

Donate Join or Renew NOW

Update Your Contact Info or Chapter

  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Gallery
    • Chapters
    • FLNOW Ed Fund
  • Issues
    • Constitutional Equality
    • Economic Justice
    • Freedom from Violence
    • LGBTQ Rights
    • Racial Justice
    • Reproductive Rights
    • Book Bans
    • More Issues
  • News
  • Need Help?
  • Get Involved
    • Join or Renew
    • FL Collegiate N.O.W.
    • Book Club
    • Events
  • Members
  • PAC
  • 2023 Conference

July 26, 2019 by NOW National

We Are The Champions—But Not When It Comes To Equal Pay For Women Athletes

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) in soccer made history by winning their fourth World Cup trophy, but the legacy of discrimination against women athletes continues. This is one reason NOW is standing up in support of two important pieces of legislation that would help female athletes finally get the compensation they deserve.  

The USWNT, led by inspiring figures including Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Rose Lavelle, are paid as little as 38 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts, despite winning back-to-back World Cup titles.  Additionally, the women’s team is subjected to inferior playing conditions and equipment than the national men’s team, who have never won a World Cup. In fact, their best performance dates back to 1930, when they reached the quarter-finals. 

That is why NOW strongly supports the Give Our Athletes Level Salaries (GOALS) Act, introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), which would block any and all federal funding for the 2026 World Cup—jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada—until the U.S. Soccer Federation pays the women fair and equitable wages.  

Additionally, the Athletics Fair Pay Act, introduced by Reps. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) in the House and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in the Senate, would require equal pay and compensation for all Olympic and amateur athletes by amending the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to require equitable pay for female athletes. It would also add new reporting requirements regarding athlete pay broken down by race and gender.  

The electrifying performance and inspiring team spirit of the USWNT is helping to boost soccer’s popularity in the United States, but the way we treat women athletes remains a source of national shame.  The whole world will be watching us when the World Cup comes to North America in 2026.  If we are going to be a leader in international soccer, we must first lead with our values of equal pay, fairness and respect for women.    

Pass the GOALS Act and the Athletics Fair Pay Act today.   

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

About NOW National

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

“On Feminism,” a haiku

Women’s rights afire
Spark of equality shines bright
United, we will soar
-written by AI

Take Action

Current Action Alerts

Become a Florida NOW Member

Update Your Contact Info or Chapter

Get Florida NOW Updates

Follow Us on Twitter

Florida NOW Follow

Fighting for Access to Abortion for over 50 years. We believe in Inclusive and Intersectional Activism ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 JOIN THE FIGHT NOW!

Florida_NOW
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
20 Feb

Of the 147 women in the US Congress, only 26 identify as Black. We can fix this. Join Congresswoman @LaurenUnderwood & GA State Rep. @reginalewisward on Tues. 2/21 at 7PM ET, learn about their historic journeys & how we can elect more black women. RSVP ->http://bit.ly/RunNOWFeb21

Reply on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Retweet on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Like on Twitter 1627518286177918976 Twitter 1627518286177918976
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
17 Feb

#BlackHistoryMonth: In 2022, 134 black women ran for Congress. Join winners US Rep @LaurenUnderwood & Ga Rep @reginalewisward on 2/21 at 7PM ET to learn about black woman candidate reality and what it takes to win. RSVP➡️http://bit.ly/RunNOWFeb21

@NationalNOW @CAWP_RU

Reply on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Retweet on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Like on Twitter 1626576314634317826 Twitter 1626576314634317826
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
16 Feb

#Allies Love the sign! "Old White Guys" allies are treasures! Anti-DEI ones, nope!

@NationalNOW @Tallahassee_NOW @NowPinellas @miamilatina @OrlNOW @brevardnow @now_jax @PascoNOW @FlaGrassroots @Fla_Pol

Reply on Twitter 1626238198136590337 Retweet on Twitter 1626238198136590337 Like on Twitter 1626238198136590337 2 Twitter 1626238198136590337
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
16 Feb

Did you know women working full-time in the US still only make 83% of what men are paid? Urge Congress to support equal pay by becoming an @AAUW Two-Minute Activist today: https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/paycheck-fairness/

Reply on Twitter 1626224231725015040 Retweet on Twitter 1626224231725015040 5 Like on Twitter 1626224231725015040 8 Twitter 1626224231725015040
florida_now Florida NOW @florida_now ·
15 Feb

A fiery email from @Florida_NOW served as the polar opposite of a Valentine’s Day greeting for DeSantis, bristling with condemnations of “racist & undemocratic … culture wars” that “pervert fundamental rights and principles of U.S and Florida governance.” http://floridapolitics.com/archives/588222-now-desantis-autocracy/

Reply on Twitter 1625882446544633856 Retweet on Twitter 1625882446544633856 4 Like on Twitter 1625882446544633856 6 Twitter 1625882446544633856
Load More

Florida NOW

Florida NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls.

Learn more about us.

Contact

E-Mail
web@flnow.org

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Handcrafted with by Mapped Digital. NOW Chapter Websites Reinvented.