Pay Equity

For more information, go to:

The Gender Pay Gap – AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881

2021 Equal Pay Days

  • Asian American and Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Day is March 9.
    • Asian American and Pacific Islander women are paid 85 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
  • All Women’s Equal Pay Day is March 24.
    • Women working full time and year round are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man who works full time and year round.
  • Mother’s Equal Pay Day is June 4.
    • Mothers are paid 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers
  • Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is August 3.
    • Black women are paid 63 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
  • Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day is September 8.
    • Native women are paid 60 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
  • Latina’s Equal Pay Day is October 21.
    • Latinas are paid 55 cents for every dollar paid to white men

Equal Pay Ideas That Work & Are Fun!

  • Donate items women pay more for than men – personal care items such as deodorant, soap, body wash, lotions, shaving cream, shampoo and uni-sex clothing.
  • Sponsor a $tart $mart Workshop.
  • Unhappy Hour at a coffee shop and/or bar. People can sign petitions or letters to their Congressional Delegation urging them to sponsor and vote for the Pay Check Fairness Act. They will receive a coupon for a reduced price for their favorite drink.
  • “Show Your Support for Equal Pay” Hours at a coffee shop where people can donate a hygiene item (tooth paste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, shaving cream, tissues, body wash) to the local food pantry and sign petitions or letters to their Congressional Delegation urging them to sponsor and vote for the Pay Check Fairness Act or take a post card to write to their Member of Congress.
  • Equal Pay Day Bake Sale where women pay 75% of the cost of an item. The profits can be donated to AAUW Funds. Each item has a card with a picture of an AAUW member’s daughter or granddaughter with a slogan like Equal Pay for Her.
  • Ring bells (church, hand bells, any other bells around your house) for 5 minutes at noon on downtown street corners on Equal Pay Day. Posters need to be visible to explain the purpose of the activity plus advance publicity is important.
  • SALSA Letter to the Editor campaign (end of March), Op-Eds, and friendly media personalities (TV and talk shows) to talk about Equal Pay Day and pay equity.
  • Rally in Chicago for 1 hour at noon at Daley Plaza. Keynote speaker head of YMCA—shopping and buying from companies that treat women well, crowd warm-up person is from Oprah Show, essay contest winners (1 high school w/ cash prize), Facebook page. Great Publicity on radio and TV stations.
  • Campus rally with music and speakers about what Equal Pay Day means to them, both men and women, poster-making party ahead of time. Include local branches. STUDENTS WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
  • Rally at state capitol which includes college students.
  • Equal Pay and Women’s History Month tie in, Woman’s Suffrage and Equal Pay module from Newseum in D.C. at AAUW website.
  • More ideas for how to “celebrate” Equal Pay Day from AAUW.