Congresswoman fights gender inequality in pro sports

SAN FRANCISCO – Congresswoman Jackie Speier wants the phrase “run like a girl” to one day be a compliment, not an insult.

This was part of her speech about discrimination in pay and respect for women in professional sports on women’s equality day in front of the students and staff of Mercy High School in San Francisco, an all-girl catholic college prepatory school.

Joined by former and current professional athletes and coaches, Speier stressed to the young women that gender-based discrimination has no place in society and that includes professional sports.

She cites that despite the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s recent World Cup win they received a very different payday compared to their male counterparts.

“And yet they got paid a quarter of what the men’s team made and they lost, the men’s team lost and the women won,” said Speier. “The men’s team made eight million dollars and the women only made two million dollars so we want to see equality in sports particularly professional sports for women as well.”

Speier recently introduced a resolution to pass the Equal Rights Amendment which would guarantee equality for women in the U.S. Constitution.

“Believe it or not it’s not in the Constitution,” said Speier. “So every time there’s a discrimination case around the issue of sex you have to prove not only that there was discrimination based on sex but it was intentional and that’s a very hard standard.”

Some Filipina-American student-athletes say the numbers the speakers showed them, were shocking.

“It really bothered me how we women don’t get that much paid as we should and that should change,” said Sunshine Margate.

Speier needs the support of 38 states in order to add her amendment to the Constitution. So far, 35 states are on board.