Dear future president,

I think it is great to have a new president in office to generate new ideas and to give the United States a sense of freshness. I am aware that you will be bringing into the U.S. some new laws and ideas to better our country. Along with these ideas, I hope that you will take into consideration something that is very important to me, and many other women across the country-- to destroy the wage gap and create equal pay for all genders. This topic is crucial to making America a better country, not only because it is already a law, but also because women work just as hard as men, if not harder, and they have some responsibilities and needs that not all men have, and therefore need a pay that is equal to men. Equal pay would affect so many lives, and create less tension among genders, simply by making it so that women can be more reliable on their pay.

The wage gap that exists in the Unites States right now shows that the average woman is paid only eighty cents to every one dollar that is paid to men. This is absurd, considering that it is the law that all people earn equal pay no matter their age, color, sexual orientation, or gender. This law is called the “Equal Pay Act” and it was passed in 1963 and signed by John F. Kennedy. This means that legally, all people should be earning equal pay, but it clearly has not stopped employers from paying employees according to their genders. Employers are finding ways to get around these laws, but it is still very obvious what their motives are.

This wage gap is very negatively affecting women, who are only trying to earn a good living off the work that they are putting into their job. Women, more often than not, work equally as hard, despite the unequal pay that they receive. Many women spend thousands of dollars on college to ready themselves for their career, and they go through days of training, and loads of work to get themselves to their choice career, which is the same route that a man has to take. Women typically also do what they are supposed to at their jobs, put in the effort to get along with their colleagues, and accomplish goals as much as men, yet they are still kept from the paychecks that they deserve because of the simple setback of being female, which never should keep us from doing anything.There are female athletes, actors, singers, etc. that are just as good as their male counterparts, so why would it be different in common workplaces?

The hard effort that women put into doing their jobs should earn them at least enough money to take care of their necessities, but it often doesn't as a result of gender wage gaps. Some women end up having to work multiple jobs in order to pay all of their bills and buy food for their families, all while men are able to live off less work hours and jobs. A great amount of these women working multiple jobs are single mothers. This means that they do not have another person in the house helping to support them, so that they have to work twice as hard. This is completely unfair when men automatically earn 20% more than women. These men don't even have as many necessities to buy as women. For example, women have to buy hair, cosmetic, and feminine hygiene products, therefore calling for a higher pay that is equal to a man’s.

Future president, I know that you have a lot on your plate, and not much time, but I really hope that you were willing to hear me out, and will consider making the change for the many women in the United States who are being paid 20% less than men. The presence of these issues makes it seem that government officials are not paying enough attention to subjects that really matter, and that is your job, future president--to show the citizens that you care, and will fight for their rights, because that is what will make the United States a better country.

Yours truly,

Julia L.

Works Cited

By StateFact SheetAdvancing Equal Pay: Innovative Employer ApproachesFact SheetThe Wage Gap Over TimeFact SheetFAQ About The Wage GapFact SheetsHow the Paycheck Fairness Act Will Strengthen the Equal Pay ActMyths and Facts: What the Paycheck Fairness Act. "Equal Pay & the Wage Gap Archives - NWLC." NWLC Equal Pay the Wage Gap Issue. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.

"Equal Pay Act of 1963." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.