Will chants for ‘Equal Pay’ turn into more than just that?

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Chanting in soccer stadiums is commonplace. Chanting about equal pay, however, is something you don’t see every day. 

When the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team defeated the Netherlands in the World Cup finals on Sunday, millions of fans erupted in cheers for the women on the field to be paid at the same level as their male counterparts. Despite generating more revenue and pulling in higher ratings than the U.S. men’s teams, the female players’ base salary is roughly $30,000 less than what male U.S. soccer players are paid. The discrepancy is the basis of a 2015 gender discrimination lawsuit the team filed against the U.S. Soccer Federation. 

What the players are fighting for is not unlike the equal pay fights that many women across industries are waging as well. At major companies like Oracle, WeWork, Disney and more, women are pursuing gender discrimination lawsuits against their employers. Yet the fight the U.S. women’s team is waging is seen and heard by millions, with most major news outlets reporting on their case all week. 

Will the widespread coverage advance equal pay in the U.S. overall? 

It can’t hurt, said Ellevest founder Sallie Krawcheck, but it’s worth noting that the women’s team is doing more than fighting for equal pay for equal work. They are fighting for equal pay for “vastly superior work” and there are few scenarios you can imagine that would bring the issue of equal pay onto a more visible global stage. Still, it’s been four years since the women’s team filed their lawsuit and little has changed. 

“This is a blow for everyone who believes that the next research piece on the power of diversity will finally crack the back of poor diversity in corporate leadership teams or the gender and other pay gaps,” Krawcheck, who runs an investing platform for women, said. “There is still a lot of work to be done, even after a lot of work has been done.”

One founder who is doing that work right now is Jordan Sale. Her organization 81cents works with clients to get personalized feedback on pay from professionals in their respective fields. She sees the large conversation right now around equal pay as inspiring, but she worries that it can also be discouraging. 

“You’ve got an issue with millions of supporters, millions of dollars of revenue tied to it, and non-stop media commentary, and yet, things still move incredibly slowly,” she said. “I’m concerned that this actually sends a message that, even with the tightest, most high-profile case, change is near impossible.” 

While I agree with Krawcheck and Sale, I also wonder about the intangible impact of this conversation reaching millions around the world. I think about all the men (and women) who watched the game, heard those chants and thought, even perhaps unconsciously, about this issue for the very first time. I think about the middle managers who watched that game and now are making decisions right now that could determine if their colleagues are paid equally. And I think about the women who head those cheers on a Sunday and walked into work on Monday with a new perspective on what she is worth. 

While the fight the women’s soccer team is leading won’t solve the problem overnight, I am optimistic that there are things we just can’t measure that will slowly change how we all view this issue, together. 

How do you think the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay will impact corporate America? Let me know in the comments below. 

Who’s Pushing Us Forward

Similar to sports, entertainment can have a big impact on how we discuss issues related to diversity and inclusion. I sat down with film agent Charles D. King to talk about the work he is doing with his company Macro to tell more stories about People of Color through television and film: 

What’s Working

I vs. we. An analysis of language used in shareholder calls among CEOs of major oil companies revealed something striking. The industry’s solo female CEO used the first-person plural of we at a much higher rate than her male peers, indicating that diverse leaders may be more conscious of inclusive language. [Quartz] 

‘Warts and all.’ In a refreshingly honest essay, Bonobos CEO Micky Onvural opens up about her insecurities that she was too “emotional” “informal” and “self-depreciating” style of leadership wouldn’t make her a good leader. Nine months into the job, she’s discovered, “Not all CEOs are the same and in fact, being the CEO of Bonobos in all its glory requires something totally different. It requires me to be me.” [LinkedIn] 

Honestly unbalanced. A NYTimes op-ed about a woman who consciously chose her career over her child struck a chord with a community of women and men who were relieved to see someone transparently discussing the issue. “Nearly all men pick priorities between family and career, often in one direction or the other. Why shouldn’t women?” wrote one reader. [NYTimes] 

What Needs Work

Sunday Scaries. A LinkedIn survey shows 80% said they experienced a surge in stress related to their jobs on Sunday nights. Why? Our always on work culture is leading to managers spending more time working on the weekend and in turn creating anxiety amongst workers. I went live with Bea Arthur, the founder of online therapy startup The Difference, to discuss this topic and more. Check it out below.

That do you want to see in next week’s edition? Let me know in the comments below or message me here.