Dear Christina,
On this first full day of Fall, I find myself reflecting on transitions. As hard as it may feel to let go of summer, holding on won’t stop the seasons. Like it or not, I need to grab a sweater as I head out the door.
While change isn’t always easy, it’s my job as a leader to ensure AAUW evolves during times of societal transformation, even as our commitment to equity remains steadfast.
For example, during the pandemic, millions of women were forced out of the workforce due to layoffs and caregiving demands. We knew AAUW’s typical method of calculating the gender pay gap—by assessing only full-time, year-round workers—wouldn’t tell the whole story.
That’s why, this year, we compared all wage earners, including part-time and seasonal workers. When we used this analysis on the data released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau, women were paid barely three-quarters—just 77%—of what men earned in 2021.
And the pay gaps for Black women (64%) and Latinas (54%) were beyond egregious when compared to white, non-Hispanic men. Even the traditional calculation showed the overall pay gap had, at best, stagnated.
By any measure, the numbers are unacceptable. But AAUW has been driving progress for 140 years, and we won’t stop now. Remember, we’re change agents too.
Sincerely,
