And I Don't Deserve Equal Pay, Because...

I have been crafting this post in my mind since yesterday but it wasn't until I clicked this picture of the girl that it really came to me. I want equal pay because my daughter deserves equal pay. There aren't a whole lot of things I can protect or shield my kids from as they grow older, but maybe, just maybe I can do something about this.

With your help we can ensure that the young girls who have yet to enter the workforce won't have to fight to get the same pay as a man. President Kennedy enacted the Equal Protection Act in 1963. At that time women made 59 cents to the dollar of men. Now, some 46 years later, we make 78 cents to the dollar. That's a 19 cent increase over 46 years. Give me a break.

I don't know about you, but I'm not about to wait another 46 years to close the gender gap. I want to close it now. And I want to close it for good.

The paycheck fairness act passed through the house and now awaits Senate approval. It will be a huge step in closing that gap. Not only will it offer incentives to companies who follow Equal Pay laws, but it will help strengthen the laws that already exist and increase penalties of violating those laws. Not to mention it will also make Equal Pay lawsuits easier to carry out as well as improve the collection process of related damages.

What can you do? Well first of all hit up the National Women's Law Center and they'll help you contact your Senators to demand that they support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

You can also head over to WomenCount (if you haven't already) and sign the sign the petition to help get a Presidential Commission on Women enacted so that we know that well have a watchdog making sure those Equal Pay laws are used.

The whole reason today is equal pay day is because this is the point in 2009 when the average woman’s wages finally catch up with those paid to the average man in 2008.

A little disturbing, right? That's why we need to make sure that our voices our heard and the Paycheck Fairness Act comes into law. So that way when my little girl enters the work force Equal Pay Day will be celebrated on December 31.