Equal Pay Day 2012

Today is Equal Pay Day. The sad fact is, in 2012, American women still earn only 77 cents on average for every dollar men make. This terrible wage gap has dire consequences for not only women, but for their families as well.

But Republicans think that 77 cents is more than enough for women. Earlier this month, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker repealed an equal pay law, making it easier for employers to have wage discrimination and harder for victims to prosecute. It’s just another example of Republican extremism turning back the clocks for women.

Last week, Mitt Romney, who has repeatedly called Scott Walker a "hero" and a "man of courage," couldn’t answer a simple question about whether he supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Ultimately, he came out in favor of the act, but it took him hours to decide. Hours to decide if equal pay for women was something he could publicly support. And he would not answer whether or not he would have actually signed the law that assures equal pay for women.

Still, that’s better than former Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who is now running for Senate in Michigan against EMILY’s List candidate, Debbie Stabenow. He called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act a “nuisance.” Really, Pete?! A nuisance? In Michigan, women make 74.4% of what men make. The median earnings for men in the state are $48, 953, but women only make $36,413 for the same work.

Let's get real: there's nothing courageous about attacking the economic security of women and their families. Rolling back equal pay laws is just another battle in the Republican War on Women. And we're simply not going to stand for it.

How do we fight back against the Republican War on Women? We must go all out to take back the House and keep our Senate firewall of pro-choice, Democratic women. EMILY's List women like Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand have been leading the charge on equal pay, but they need back up. We must stand together against this extremism and make sure women get fair and equal treatment.

It's up to us to ensure that 2012 is a historic year for American women. We must unite our voices against the backwards policies of Republicans like Scott Walker and Mitt Romney. Sign our petition to tell Republicans that women deserve equal pay for equal work.

Want to know what the gender pay gap is in your home state? Check out our Pinterest board that breaks it down.

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