PHOENIX — For the first time in 20 years, the gender pay gap is widening between men and women.
According to new U.S. Census Bureau data, women are making 82.7 cents per every dollar a man makes in 2023 data, dropping from 84 cents per dollar in 2022. The Census Bureau said that's the "first statistically significant" time it's dropped since 2003.
Mary Rigdon, Director of the University of Arizona's Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, who's studied the gender pay gap, says it's concerning. Saying, it's about more than just a few cents that women are losing, it's large tangible numbers women lose over the course of their working life.
"If you look over the last several decades, we know women have entered the workforce in record number, they've made great strides in educational attainment with - actually - women being more educated than men," Rigdon said. "But this is still not enough to bring them to parity. And so we ask, we continue to ask, What does explain it?"
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The gap though can be even wider still.
An analysis of the new data by the National Partnership for Women and Families found Black women are paid 64 cents for every dollar paid to a white man, and Latina women are paid just 51 cents per every dollar paid to a white man.
"Latinas tend to be head of households. They tend to be independent mothers. So when we look at this. This is, this is a huge impact on the economy as a whole," Stephanie Vasquez, CEO of Fair Trade Cafe, who founded Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona (E.L.L.A.).
Vasquez said she founded E.L.L.A. because of the Latina gender pay gap six years ago, saying awareness is most important in making a difference in the gap.
"I've seen so many stories and the trajectories and the legacy of families change. And what truly makes a difference is supporting those businesses. The only way that a business is going to be successful is if we support those businesses," Vasquez said.
Knowing the gap is growing, both Vasquez and Rigdon said action is needed too.
"We all can be a part of the positive change. All of us can. There are so many different Latina businesses that we can support. We can also advocate within our corporations and our companies, there's so much that can be done," Vasquez said.
"What we know is it will not close any faster without concerted action. And so it really is an issue of not just equality, but it's also about helping women and their families achieve economic security," Rigdon said.
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