
Join us for IWPR’s 2026 Power+ Summit, The Power Grid: Driving Gender Equity Forward, taking place September 28–29 in Detroit, MI.
Together, we will spark bold ideas, share breakthroughs, and shape the future of gender equity.
By Hannah Orenstein
Jensen isn’t sure yet if she’ll take any official legal action, but she still wants to fully understand why she wasn’t given equal pay.
“They should definitely be ashamed of themselves,” she said.
You might be wondering, why is a quarter such a big deal?
Well, it’s not just Jensen. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), there was a 21-percent wage gap between full-time male and female workers in 2014. And those numbers are even worse for women of color. Equal pay is a huge issue that affects millions of Americans. You work hard for your money — just as hard (or even harder!) than your male counterparts do. You deserve to be rewarded just the same.

Join us for IWPR’s 2026 Power+ Summit, The Power Grid: Driving Gender Equity Forward, taking place September 28–29 in Detroit, MI.
Together, we will spark bold ideas, share breakthroughs, and shape the future of gender equity.