April 7th is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Pay Day, the annual reminder of the persistent wage gap between men and women—specifically today between AANHPI women and white, non-Hispanic men.
According to the National Women’s Law Center,
“Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women who worked full time, year-round in 2023 were typically paid just 97 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. This wage gap widens when part-year and part-time workers are included: AANHPI women were typically paid just 83 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. In addition, the wage gap between AANHPI women and AANHPI men was even wider; AANHPI women working full time, year-round were paid only 80 cents for every dollar paid to AANHPI men.”
The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, the only multi-issue, progressive community organizing and public advocacy organization for AAPI women and girls in the U.S., found that that many women experience much larger wage gaps, particularly Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander women. For example, Tongan women earn only 59 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. Here’s a chart of their findings.
NOW members know that the gender wage gap is no accident—it’s a consequence of policies that deny women essential access to paid family and medical leave, high-quality, affordable childcare, and comprehensive health care, including abortion care.
The National Partnership for Women and Families has published a new paper on “America’s Women and the Wage Gap,” and it includes their calculation on what women could afford if the wage gap closed for one year.
- 17 months of food
- 15 months of child care
- 32 months to pay off student loans
- 7 months of mortgage payments
- 9 months of health insurance premiums
On AANHPI Equal Pay Day, NOW members will keep advocating for policies that support AANHPI women and calling out the pay disparities that rob women of their chance to build wealth and secure a comfortable future.