Today, I was told by a young man that gender inequality doesn’t exist.

I am a 17 years old and a proud Latina. Today, I was told by a young man that gender inequality does not exist.

I reread the comment at least ten times, thinking that I needed to get my eyes checked. Nope, it was there. Plain and simple, “I would debate whether gender inequality exists”…I grabbed my computer and ran out to my mom who was in the garage and re-read the comment out loud to her. She responded with “WHAT?!”

Now, you might be thinking “Well, he is entitled to his opinion.” Right? Wrong. He is not entitled to his opinion. He is not entitled to his opinion when he is a caucasian male who will earn 1 dollar to every woman’s 70 cents. He is not entitled to his opinion when he doesn’t experience discrimination on a daily basis.

Let me say this again for the people in the back; he is not entitled to his opinion when he doesn’t experience discrimination on a daily basis.

I am a 17 years old and a proud Latina. Today, I was told by a young man that gender inequality does not exist.

According to a study by the National Women’s Law Center, the gender pay gap causes the average American woman to lose $430,480 over a 40-year career.

Asian American women lose $365,440 over a 40-year career.

African American women lose $877,480 over a 40-year career.

Hispanic women lose $1,007,080 over a 40-year career.

The AVERAGE American woman earns $430,480 LESS than what their male counterpart will make over a 40-year career.

$430,480 LESS than. Not more than. Not equal to. LESS than.

I am a 17 years old and a proud Latina. Today, I was told by a young man that gender inequality does not exist.

According to the WEF Global Gender Gap Report, the gender pay gap “may take 118 years to close.” Women will likely be paid less than men for the next 118 years. The report states that women are now earning what men were earning in 2006.

2006 was ten years ago.

The gender pay gap won’t be closed in my lifetime. It might not even be closed in my daughter’s lifetime.

For the next 118 years, there will be a gap between the earnings of men and women. For the next 118 years, there will be gender inequality.

I am not afraid of many things in life.

I am not afraid to surf where sharks may swim.

I am not afraid of thunderstorms.

I am not afraid of heading off to college next year.

I am not afraid of spiders or of flying on an airplane…but I am afraid of gender inequality continuing and you should be too.

I am afraid because no matter how hard I work, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I succeed, the data predicts that I will earn $1,007,080 less than my male counterparts — just for being born female and Latina.

I am afraid for every woman who will not be treated as an equal.

I am afraid because, in 2016, some young people really believe that gender inequality does not exist.

Perhaps even more importantly, I am afraid because there are people who still believe that all human beings should not be treated equally.

I am a 17 years old and a proud Latina.

Gender inequality DOES exist and it is an issue that needs to be addressed.

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