ICYMI: Democratic Women’s Caucus Hosts Press Call Commemorating the First Ever Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day
CONTACT: Lizzie Johnson, (202)-590-6073, lizzie.johnson@mail.house.gov (DWC)
**Watch the press call here**
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the Democratic Women’s Caucus hosted a press call commemorating the first ever Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day. DWC Policy Co-Chair Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women and Families, and Meier Galblum Haigh, Founder and Executive Director of Disability Culture Lab, spoke about the significance of Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day and what House Democrats are doing to fight the gender wage gap.
Disabled women workers overall are paid an average of 50 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled men. At the press conference, speakers called out this drastic gap, honored the progress that has been made to support equal pay and equal rights for disabled women, and explained some of the policy changes needed to ensure equal pay for all.
On Wednesday, Congresswomen Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) introduced a resolution to officially recognize Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day. This resolution recognizes the pay disparity between disabled women and both disabled and nondisabled men, while reaffirming the commitment to supporting equal pay for disabled women, narrowing the gender, disability, and racial wage gaps, and addressing systemic barriers that drive those inequities. This resolution outlines several factors that contribute to the disabled women’s wage gap, which include but are not limited to the following: outdated public benefit eligibility requirements that disincentivize work and limit potential earnings; a lack of sufficient paid leave in combination with a disproportionate share of caregiving labor; alongside employment discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention.
DWC member Congresswoman Wexton, DWC Policy-Co Chair Congresswoman Pressley, and DWC member Congresswoman DeLauro emphasized the significance of the first ever Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day:
"Over the past year since my PSP diagnosis has taken a severe toll on my mobility and ability to speak loudly and clearly, I’ve come to personally know a bit about the challenges that people with disabilities face each day. But despite these challenges, I've only grown in my conviction that my disability does not define me nor the millions of other Americans who face challenges making it harder to move, speak, act, or otherwise live their day to day lives, said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (VA-10). We should not be treated – or paid – any differently because of those challenges. I'm proud to lead this effort to recognize Disabled Women's Equal Pay Day and fight to close the unfair and unacceptable wage gap that women with disabilities face.”
“Today we acknowledge what is the first Congressional resolution of its kind. A deeply unjust pay disparity, a disparity that is both a workers’ rights issue and a disability justice issue. Disabled women are paid just 50 cents for every dollar paid to a non-disabled man,” said DWC Policy Co-Chair Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). “I want to pause and let that sink in. That is unacceptable. No community is a monolith, and the disability community certainly is not. We work in every industry, every sector, from the halls of Congress to the service industry, to academia, and research and beyond. 50 cents on the dollar. Today, I’m thinking about the work ahead to address this great injustice, and I’m thinking of all of those who have come before us and fought for our shared humanity.”
“The wage gap affects everyone, particularly disabled women who make 50 cents for every dollar paid to a nondisabled man,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03). “The gap is even wider for disabled women of color. That is unacceptable. On this first ever Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day, I am calling on Congress to finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act so that we can end the wage gap for all women.”
Advocates Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families and Meier Galblum Haigh, Executive Director of the Disability Culture Lab, highlighted the importance of continuing to fight for policies that support disabled women.
“The stakes are high for disabled women and their families, and to close the harrowing wage gap we need better, more inclusive policies that value disabled women’s work, invest in adequate supports, and allow disabled people to care for themselves and their loved ones,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day is an opportunity to shed light on the deliberate policy choices that prevent disabled women from surviving and thriving, whether or not they work.”
"Forced poverty, subminimum wages, a broken care economy and outright discrimination have all led to disabled women being paid just half of what non-disabled men are paid in a year,” said Meier Galblum Haigh, Executive Director of the Disability Culture Lab. “So, while the first ever Disabled Women's Equal Pay Day is a historic day for our community and movement, it is also a call to action. We must do better for disabled women, and especially disabled women of color, across the US."