The chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A" were earsplitting for those who lined streets in New York City Wednesday to celebrate the US Women’s National Soccer Team for their victory in the World Cup. Fans, many of them families with young girls, kept streaming in to catch a glimpse of their heroes. The Women’s Team won the final of the World Cup Sunday 2-0 over The Netherlands in France.
All of the team members were present for fans to see, riding atop several trucks and buses, including Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn, Alyssa Naeher and others who captivated the nation and the world in their undefeated run to the cup, which they won for the second straight world cup.
Many of the fans along the parade route held signs supporting one of the team’s loudest cries, one for equal pay. The members of the USWNT, despite being the best in the world, make far less than their male counterparts on the USMNT. In fact, the team members are all party to a lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation charging it with violating the U.S. Equal Pay Act and civil rights laws. The Federation has countered that the pay gap is related to the revenue difference between the two teams. That case has not been decided yet and might end up in front of a mediator.
GOVERNOR CUOMO ADDS TO PARADE & CELEBRATION
Governor Andrew Cuomo took the opportunity to sign into law measure that supports equal pay. One prohibits unequal pay for substantially similar work, regardless of protected class, such as gender, race, disability, etc. The other forbids employers from asking about an employee’s pay history, which can keep wages low for those that have historically made less for equal work. Neither, of course, has jurisdiction over the women soccer players.
Cuomo said, "There is no rationale why women should not get paid what men get paid. These are women's soccer players, they play the same game as the men's soccer players, and they play it better - so if there is any economic rationale, the men should get paid less than the women," adding to the spirit of the event.
This story has been edited for copy corrections.
