Here at LPJL we always say that reproductive freedom and economic freedom go hand in hand. Sure, the sidewalk screamers might think that family planning is deciding what color to paint the baby’s room and how crazy they want to go for their gender reveal party. But for those of us who live in a world not painted blue and pink, well family planning is about deciding when you are emotionally and YES economically ready to have a child (and IF YOU EVEN WANT TO, NOT EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE KIDS).
Because of our commitment to economic freedom we stand with Sistersong, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Women's Law Center, the National Partnership for Women & Families, the Labor Project for Working Families, and many more groups throughout the country in raising awareness for Black Women’s Equal Pay Day today and demanding more!
So why is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Today?
Because a Black woman would have to work from New Year’s Day until today, August 7—deep in the sweltering end of a brutal summer—in order to make as much money as a man did in 2017 alone. That’s because a typical Black woman only makes 63 cents for every $1 a typical white man earns.
That’s fucking ridiculous, but it’s also fucking entrenched because of gender and race-based discrimination, an inadequate minimum wage, tipped minimum wage bullshit, and lack of affordable childcare.
The forces occupying your uterus on behalf of the puritaints use your lack of reproductive freedom to penalize you at work. Lack of access to abortion and birth control also means you don’t have equal employment opportunities. And that’s no accident. Reproductive freedom and economic freedom need each other to exist.
So what can you do? Like, TODAY? Like right NOW?
The incredible folks at Equal Pay Today and other advocates for gender and racial equality want you to join their Social Media Storm on Tuesday, August 7th at 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET/11:00 am-12:00 noon PT using #BlackWomensEqualPay and #DemandMore
So go get LOUD. And going forward—Demand More! From your employer at work, from businesses as a consumer, and from officials and candidates as a voter. Support equal pay for Black women and for all women—and everyone benefits.
Equality means many things. But it sure AF means EQUALITY!