Secret, the deodorant company who sponsors the U.S. Women’s National Team, has joined the team’s fight for equal pay.
The deodorant brand will donate $529,000 to the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, according to a report published Sunday by CNN Business. The total will be divided among each player, coming out to $23,000 per player.
“Let’s take this moment of celebration to propel women’s sports forward,” Secret wrote in the ad. “We urge the US Soccer Federation to be a beacon of strength and end gender pay inequality once and for all.”
Secret made the announcement in a full-page ad Sunday in the New York Times. The donation comes as a way to help the women’s team close the reported pay gap between the men and women’s teams. (RELATED: Alex Morgan Points To Double Standard After Receiving Criticism Over Goal Celebration Inspired By Sophie Turner)
Every single woman on the national team sued the United States Soccer Federation in a gender discrimination lawsuit back in March.
“What the USWNT players want more than anything is real, meaningful change,” executive director of the US Women’s National Team Players Association Becca Roux said.
This argument for equal pay has many different parts. Is the women’s team worth more money? Absolutely. Does the Women’s World Cup generate enough money to have a large enough purse to pay them what they should? No.
It’s not fair for the players to insist FIFA pay them more when they aren’t bringing in more.
However, Secret stepping up and donating money to these women is exactly what should be happening and I’m happy that it is. These women are talented and they should be demanding more money from their sponsors because they’re worth more.