Lookbook Vol. 2
Gender Pay Gap
DEFINITION
The amount of money that all women make, per every dollar that white, nonLatinx men make (as of 2019). 52
OKLAHOMA
Data Highlight: “Indigenous women are typically paid 60 cents, Black women 63 cents, and Latinx women just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Latinx men.”52
73 cents paid to all women, for every dollar made by white, non-Latinx men
NATIONAL AVERAGE
82 cents paid to all women, for every dollar made by white, non-Latinx men
Why We Care: It has been several decades since women have joined the workforce, and while women have nothing further to prove, one might not get that impression if evaluating the discrepancy women continue to face in pay. This is especially true for women of color, who face even more severe pay discrimination than their White counterparts. 53 Though more families are now splitting household responsibilities, many women are still the primary caregivers for children. 46 If equal pay were a reality in Oklahoma, the poverty rate for working women in the state would be reduced almost by half and their earnings would increase by about $5.4 billion a year.46 Equal pay for equal work would not only close the gender wage gap, but also allow Oklahoma’s women to better afford health care, housing, food, and a life above the poverty level. Addressing pay equality and secrecy is a crucial part of closing the gender wage gap, and protection from retaliation would be a very positive step forward for women’s economic security.
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What We Can Do: - Support legislation that promotes pay transparency for all Oklahoma women - Expand the number of licensed childcare facilities - Invest in quality improvements in childcare
