One of the US football advertisers is putting his money where his mouth is in the fight for equal pay.
The secret deodorant brand, through its parent company Procter & Gamble, announced Sunday a donation of $ 529,000 to the Women's National Team Players Association with a full-page ad in the New York Times.
This important donation has a symbolic meaning: $ 23,000 was paid to each of the 23 USWNT members who won the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup a week ago. The announcement may have raised the bill by six more digits.
Although Procter & Gamble faced negative feedback in the past for charging a "pink tax" on women's products, it has been a strong supporter of equal pay in the past with advertising campaigns focused on the subject.
"But after all the toasts, cheers, parades and rewards have dissipated, the problem remains," concludes the ad. "Inequality is not limited to compensation and players; it's about values. Let's take this moment of celebration to advance women's sport. We urge the American Football Federation to be a beacon of strength and put an end to unequal pay between men and women once and for all, for all players. "
P & G is the first major sponsor to have so explicitly supported the team in its efforts to achieve equal pay. Some companies like Nike have aired ads that mention "breaking the glass ceiling" without directly mentioning the pay gap.
Last March, the USWNT filed a lawsuit for gender discrimination against the American football federation, accusing it of "institutionalized sexist discrimination" going beyond the pay gap . The women's national team is facing a more hectic schedule, worse travel conditions and lower quality training than the men's team, despite much greater success.
Brands are not the only ones to take note of the fight; Many politicians also take this opportunity to raise awareness to propose a bill to fight the pay gap.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted an Equal Pay Act just before the New York World Cup parade, and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) proposed a bill to block funding for the 2026 World Cup – which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico – unless the USWNT receives equal pay.
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LYON, FRANCE – 07 July: Sari Van Veenendaal of the Netherlands takes possession of the ball while Rose Lavelle of the United States scores the second goal of her team in the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 between the United States of America and the Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – FIFA / FIFA via Getty Images)
LYON, FRANCE – 07 July: Stefanie Van der Gragt of the Netherlands commits a foul on Alex Morgan of the United States, resulting in a penalty kick in the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019, which will take place at Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
LYON, FRANCE – July 07: Megan Rapinoe of the United States celebrates with teammate Alex Morgan the first goal of his team in the final match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 between the United States of America and the Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo Alex Caparros – FIFA / FIFA via Getty Images)
LYON, FRANCE – July 07: Megan Rapinoe of the United States celebrates with her team-mates the first goal of her team in the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Stade de Lyon from 07 July 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Naomi Baker – FIFA / FIFA via Getty Images)
Alex Morgan of the United States, on the left, faces Elise Bussaglia of France in the Women's World Cup quarterfinal match between France and the United States at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday 28 June 2019. (AP Photo / Francisco Seco)
USA goaltender Alyssa Naeher (1) deflects French Valérie Gauvin's ball in the Women's World Cup quarterfinal match between France and the United States at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday June 28, 2019. (AP Photo / Francisco Seco)
Megan Rapinoe of the United States celebrates the second goal of her team during the football match between France and the United States in the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday. June 2019. (AP Photo / Francisco Seco)
The English players celebrate after winning the football game in the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup between Norway and England at Oceane Stadium in Le Havre, France on Thursday, June 27, 2019. (AP Photo / Francisco seco)
Kelley O Hara of the United States jumps over Swede Kosovare Asllani in the F World Cup F match between Sweden and the United States at the Oceane Stadium in Le Havre, France on Thursday 20 June 2019. (AP Photo / Alessandra Tarantino)
Paris, France – June 16: Julie Ertz of the United States of America No. 8 celebrates her goal with Mallory Pugh, Lindsey Horan and Morgan Brian during the match of the 2018 FIFA Women's World Cup Group F between the United States and Chile at the Parc des Princes stadium on June 16, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe / Getty Images)
LE HAVRE, FRANCE – JUNE 20: Lindsey Horan of the United States scores the first goal of her team: the 2018 FIFA Women's World Cup F match between Sweden and the United States at Stade Océane on 20 June 2019 in Le Havre, France. (Photo by Alex Grimm / Getty Images)
USA, Carli Lloyd, center, celebrate with their teammates after scoring the third goal of their team in the Group F football match of the Women's World Cup between the United States and Chile at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on Sunday June 16, 2019. (AP Photo / Alessandra Tarantino)
Chilean goaltender Claudia Endler is looking to protect the ball in Group F Group F football between the United States and Chile at Parc des Princes in Paris, France on Sunday, June 16, 2019. United States won 3-0. (AP Photo / Alessandra Tarantino)
Carli Lloyd of the United States celebrates her first goal in Group F of the Women's World Cup between the United States and Chile at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Sunday, June 16, 2019. (AP Photo / Thibault Camus)
Carli Lloyd of the United States, left, celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the first goal in the football game between the United States and Chile, World Cup F, in front of Chile at Parc des Princes in Paris , in France, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Lloyd scored twice American Victory 3-0. (AP Photo / Alessandra Tarantino)
Megan Rapinoe (USA), on the right, congratulates team-mate Alex Morgan after scoring his fifth goal in the United States-Thailand football game in Group F at the Auguste-Delaune Stadium in Reims, France , Tuesday, June 11, 2019. (Photo AP / François Mori)
Alex Morgan, center, of the United States, scores his team's fifth goal in the F Group F football game between the United States and Thailand at the Auguste-Delaune Stadium in Reims, France on Tuesday June 11, 2019. (AP Photo / François Mori)
Reims, France – June 11: Mallory Pugh of the United States shoots at goal in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2018 match F match between the United States and Thailand at the Auguste Delaune Stadium on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. La France. (Photo by Quality Sport Images / Getty Images)
Reims, France – June 11: Megan Rapinoe of the United States of America celebrates with her fans after the match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 between Group F and the United States at the Auguste Delaune Stadium on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by TF-Images / Getty Images)
Reims, France – June 11: Mallory Pugh of the United States celebrates the 11th goal of his team in the FIFA F-2018 Women's World Cup match between the United States and Thailand at the Auguste Delaune Stadium June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Cathrin Mueller – FIFA / FIFA via Getty Images)
REIMS, FRANCE – 11 June: final scorecard score after the match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 between group F and the United States between Thailand and Auguste Delaune Stadium on 11 June 2019 in Reims, France La France. (Photo by TF-Images / Getty Images)
