September 19th, 2016

To whom it may concern,

Everyone should be treated equally no matter their race, gender, or religion.

Men and women should get payed the same for doing the same job.

The statements above are correct, but apparently companies don’t agree. According to the Huffington post, women who work full time, year round, all industries, all races and ethnicities earn on average 78% as much as men. In 2014 the median income for white men working full time was $50,383 but for white women it was $39,621 (CNN Money, Jeanine Sahandi, 4/12/16). That is a $10,762 difference women need to use for food, water, rent and a number of other countless important necessities men have an easier time paying for? How is that fair? That’s the thing, it’s not. Even further into the issue, women and men of color have an even larger pay gap! Make It Work showed the statistic that African American women make 60¢ for every $1 men make; Latina women make 55¢ for every white man’s $1.

If you choose to do nothing about this problem, as a thirteen year old year I know I will be going into a job knowing I will be payed less. Apparently I don’t matter as much, or am I not worth as much? Women across America who are single moms, working full time, trying to provide enough food for their families, are being paid less than their colleagues. This makes these tasks even harder than it already are. As president you definitely know someone going through this problem right now, a family friend, niece, or cousin. Don’t you want to help them and thousands of others? As someone who is leading our country being aware of major issues and taking action is what you have to do. Women getting payed less than men? It just doesn’t make sense especially if women and men are doing the same exact work!

In 2006 a study done by Hannah Riley Bowels showed if women negotiated their wage they payed a “social cost” but men in the survey did not. Are companies paying women less because they know women will not ask questions as to why they’re paid less because of their gender? If women do start to negotiate what they’re paid worse things could happen. In 2015 a bill was made that would make it illegal for employers to retaliate against their employees who discussed their wages but this bill failed in the Senate. If women decide to ask why they’re paid ¢78 for every man’s $1 their employer can fire them. Aren’t we taught to ask questions?

The solution is simple. Erase the pay gap. Between everyone. Make it illegal for employers to pay men more than women. Everyone needs to be paid the same for doing the same job. As president you can contact heads of all the major industries and make sure the problem is eliminated. It is in your best interest to do what is best for this country. Isn’t equality best for our country in this century. If made president, you are expected to do what is best for everyone. Right now women aren’t being treated as equals to men. Will you choose to ignore the problem and let it continue to negatively affect thousands.

You should want what is best for everyone. Completely eliminating the wage gap that is affecting thousands of citizens lives in our country would show people that equality is important between everyone no matter your race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

Sincerely ,

Sofia