Secret kick-starts a conversation around closing the gender wage gap with the launch of its “I’d Rather Get Paid” campaign, which centers around the reality that, while much progress for women has been made, women still aren’t paid equally to men. The film takes the form of a stylized “music video,” featuring cameos by a group of well-known advocates of equal pay, including: actress and activist Sophia Bush; actress Samira Wiley; journalist, activist and tastemaker Catt Sadler; soccer legend Abby Wambach; and 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, 3x WNBA Champion, Swin Cash, among others.
“I’d Rather Get Paid” takes on a very real issue: on average, women in the U.S. are still paid 20% less than men – and this disparity is even greater for women of color, with black women and Latinas earning 38% and 46% less, respectively, than white men. This difference in income adds up: the gender pay gap results in $513 billion in lost wages each year for women.
“While Secret’s products are expertly designed to protect women against odor and sweat, we believe there are some things women shouldn’t have to sweat – like getting paid what they’re worth,” said Sara Saunders, Associate Brand Director for Secret. “As a brand for women by women, we want to build on the conversation around closing the wage gap, and give women the strength, tools and inspiration to stop sweating the issue.”
To help women in their quest for equal pay, Secret has teamed up with organizations Ladies Get Paid and The Wing to give women tools they can use to work toward pay equality. Beginning November 19, women may visit LadiesGetPaid.com for access to a free toolkit from Secret outlining strategies for salary negotiation and ways that organizations as a whole can advance change. Additionally, through December, Secret and Ladies Get Paid will host a series of workshops at The Wing locations across the country, where experts will share tips designed to help women navigate a world where equal pay isn’t yet the norm and to better advocate for progress. Ladies Get Paid co-founders Claire Wasserman and Ashley Louise also make an appearance in the “I’d Rather Get Paid” film.
“If the gender wage gap in the U.S. were to be eliminated, the impact would be tremendous – for women, children and the U.S. economy as a whole,” said Saunders, citing recent studies. “We believe brands have a responsibility to use their platform to enable change, and we’re proud to partner with Ladies Get Paid and The Wing to help make a real difference for women.”
