In the latest update in the U.S. women’s soccer team’s continuing lawsuit for equal pay, a federal judge has rejected their claims of unequal pay. This means that the portions of the lawsuit regarding unequal pay will no longer move forward. While this doesn’t mark the end of their struggle, it is certainly a major setback for the U.S. women’s soccer team in their continuing fight for equal pay and workplace equality.
The team’s entire lawsuit was not thrown out, but the federal judge dismissed their claims regarding lower pay than their male counterparts. Other parts of the lawsuit regarding unequal workplace conditions, including the state of practice facilities in regards to the composition of the fields, are proceeding to trial.
Filed in early 2019, the lawsuit demands fair compensation for the reigning world champions and cites a long history of inequality and discrimination. Their cries for pay and workplace equality have been echoed across sports and across nations. It has been a long-understood fact that female athletes make less than their male counterparts, regardless of their record or achievements.
Though the lawsuit has faced continual resistance, the U.S. women’s soccer team’s fight for equality has inspired women’s soccer teams from high school to professional teams. The fight has seen support everywhere from social media to a newfound group dedicated entirely to supporting women in sports and entertainment known as The Collective.
Despite their hardships, the U.S. women’s soccer team boasts four World Cup titles and several world records and, in early 2020, 10 of the 11 players from the 2019 World Cup-winning U.S. women’s soccer team secured a spot to compete in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Due to the novel coronavirus and ensuing pandemic, it remains unseen how or if the Tokyo Olympics will continue in the future. Regardless, the U.S. women’s soccer team is expected to do well and potentially bring home another win for the U.S.
Hopefully, their wins on the field will someday translate into wins for equality and wins for women everywhere.
Featured Image by Armando Sobrino on Flickr
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