FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2022
Contact: William Lutz | lutz@iwpr.org | (202) 684-7534
Washington, D.C. — Today it was announced that the U.S. National Women’s Soccer team had reached a $24 million settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation in their suit alleging gender discrimination in pay for the women’s team compared to male counterparts. The settlement also requires the Federation to pay women and men soccer players equally going forward. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) CEO and President C. Nicole Mason today hailed the decision as a milestone in the ongoing fight for equal pay.
“Today is a day for celebration. This is an historic victory in the ongoing fight for gender equality and equal pay in the United States. Megan Rapinoe and her teammates never gave up their fight and have now set the stage for generations of women athletes to demand equal pay compared to men athletes,” said Mason.
“Margaret Mead famously said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world,’ and that’s exactly what the USWNT players did today. They made their mark on history and now take their place among a long line of pioneers fighting for gender equality,” said Mason.
“We have a long way to go in the struggle for gender equality and equal pay. At the current rate of growth, it will take until 2059 to reach full pay equity for women—with the wait even longer for Black and Latina women when compared to White men’s earnings. But we must still celebrate the milestone victories achieved on this journey. And thanks to the tireless equal pay champions on the U.S. women’s soccer team, today we have a lot to celebrate indeed.”
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The Institute for Women’s Policy Research strives to win economic equity for all women and eliminate barriers to their full participation in society. As a leading national think tank, IWPR builds evidence to shape policies that grow women’s power and influence, close inequality gaps, and improve the economic well-being of families. Learn more at IWPR.org and follow us on Twitter.
