Give the U.S. National Women's Soccer Team the Respect They Deserve

  • by: Luke Kohlmoos
  • recipient: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team is the best women’s soccer team in the world. They generate more revenue than the men’s team. 25.4 million people tuned in to watch the U.S. women defeat Japan and win the Women's World Cup last year. That's a record number of viewers in the U.S. for either a men's or a women's soccer game. 

And yet U.S. Soccer pays women players as little as 40% of what they pay men players. The men’s team makes more from showing up than the women do from winning the World Cup. I may be crazy but I value the joy I feel from watching our women win the World cup more than whatever I feel from watching our men lose to Guatemala 2-0 during a qualifying match.

Instead of treating the U.S. Women's National Team with the respect that world class athletes deserve, U.S. Soccer has shortchanged them on sponsorships, bonuses, and even per diems. And they have endangered them by forcing them to play on subpar fields. The U.S. Soccer leadership obviously still consider the women to be inferior to the men, demonstrating prejudices so strong that they are working against their own self-interest by failing to protect their most valuable and successful team.

U.S. Soccer's blatant discrimination against the women on the National Soccer Team sends a message to women athletes that no matter how hard they work or how good they are, it will never be good enough. That because they are women, they will never be taken seriously or treated with respect. And that they should be thankful for what they get - never ask for more, let alone equality. This has got to change.

After years of trying to work with U.S. Soccer to get better treatment and equal pay, the leaders of the U.S. Women's National Team have finally said that enough is enough. They have submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission demanding an investigation into U.S. Soccer's wage discrimination.

As a friend of one of the players and a life-long soccer fan, I would like to applaud their strength and bravery. They are standing up not just for themselves, but for all of the women and girl athletes across the globe. We should feel embarrassed that they even have to fight this fight, but that embarrassment pales in comparison to the shame we should feel if nothing changes.

Please sign my petition to support the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team by demanding that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigate U.S. Soccer. It is time to make discrimination against women in sports a thing of the past.

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team is the best women’s soccer team in the world. They generate more revenue than the men’s team. 25.4 million people tuned in to watch the U.S. women defeat Japan and win the Women's World Cup last year. That's a record number of viewers in the U.S. for either a men's or a women's soccer game. 

And yet U.S. Soccer pays women players as little as 40% of what they pay men players. The men’s team makes more from showing up than the women do from winning the World Cup. 

Instead of treating the U.S. Women's National Team with the respect that world class athletes deserve, U.S. Soccer has shortchanged them on sponsorships, bonuses, and even per diems. And they have endangered them by forcing them to play on subpar fields. The U.S. Soccer leadership obviously still consider the women to be inferior to the men, demonstrating prejudices so strong that they are working against their own self-interest by failing to protect their most valuable and successful team.

U.S. Soccer's blatant discrimination against the women on the National Soccer Team sends a message to women athletes that no matter how hard they work or how good they are, it will never be good enough. That because they are women, they will never be taken seriously or treated with respect. And that they should be thankful for what they get - never ask for more, let alone equality. This has got to change.

After years of trying to work with U.S. Soccer to get better treatment and equal pay, the leaders of the U.S. Women's National Team have finally said that enough is enough. They have submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission demanding an investigation into U.S. Soccer's wage discrimination.

As a friend of one of the players and a life-long soccer fan, I would like to applaud their strength and bravery. They are standing up not just for themselves, but for all of the women and girl athletes across the globe. We should feel embarrassed that they even have to fight this fight, but that embarrassment pales in comparison to the shame we should feel if nothing changes.

Please listen to the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team's complaint and investigate U.S. Soccer. It is time to make discrimination against women in sports a thing of the past.

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