Equal Pay for Athletes - Persuasive Essay
Equal Pay for Athletes Regardless of Gender
Research/ Persuasive Essay
People all over America and the world are consumed with watching athletes perform in their various sports. Both male and female athletes compete at such incredible levels that require physical talent and drive. Professional athletes are known to get paid salaries that reflect their talent and abilities. Regardless of gender, professional athletes are drafted to receive professional pay. However, equal pay for male and female athletes with the same credentials does not occur today. There is a belief that male athletes are worth more than female athletes and are better at promoting themselves. Also, women salaries are lower because of their gender and are not based on their performance. Although audiences seem more excited watching men sports, this does not mean men should get paid more. Men should not be paid more than female athletes who have similar talent and credentials.
Many people believe that male athletes should be paid more because they are better at self-promotion. Others feel that women athletes are talented but are exploited by marketers who push sales and promotions. In 2008, U.S. women earned seventy-seven cents for every dollar earned by a man. This dropped sixty-eight cent for African American women and fifty-eight cents for Latinos (Fitzpatrick 1-2). For the past four decades, women’s wages increased only half a penny on the dollar (Fitzpatrick 1-2). There is definitely a gap in salaries among men and women athletes. As an example, female basketball players in the WNBA get substantially different pay than male athletes in the NBA. A WNBA female star’s maximum salary in 2005-06 ranges around $87,000, compared to the NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal’s salary that was twenty million (Female Athletes Salaries 1). This is not only unrealistic, but this difference in salary is unfair. Unfortunately and unfairly, it has gotten to the point where anyone can see the huge gap
Research/ Persuasive Essay
People all over America and the world are consumed with watching athletes perform in their various sports. Both male and female athletes compete at such incredible levels that require physical talent and drive. Professional athletes are known to get paid salaries that reflect their talent and abilities. Regardless of gender, professional athletes are drafted to receive professional pay. However, equal pay for male and female athletes with the same credentials does not occur today. There is a belief that male athletes are worth more than female athletes and are better at promoting themselves. Also, women salaries are lower because of their gender and are not based on their performance. Although audiences seem more excited watching men sports, this does not mean men should get paid more. Men should not be paid more than female athletes who have similar talent and credentials.
Many people believe that male athletes should be paid more because they are better at self-promotion. Others feel that women athletes are talented but are exploited by marketers who push sales and promotions. In 2008, U.S. women earned seventy-seven cents for every dollar earned by a man. This dropped sixty-eight cent for African American women and fifty-eight cents for Latinos (Fitzpatrick 1-2). For the past four decades, women’s wages increased only half a penny on the dollar (Fitzpatrick 1-2). There is definitely a gap in salaries among men and women athletes. As an example, female basketball players in the WNBA get substantially different pay than male athletes in the NBA. A WNBA female star’s maximum salary in 2005-06 ranges around $87,000, compared to the NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal’s salary that was twenty million (Female Athletes Salaries 1). This is not only unrealistic, but this difference in salary is unfair. Unfortunately and unfairly, it has gotten to the point where anyone can see the huge gap
Cited: Bates, Suzanne. Tuesday July 2011. Web. “Female Athlete Salaries.” AskMen. Web. 26 Mar. 2012 Fitzpatrick, Laura. “Why Do Women Still Earn Less Than Men?” Why Do Women Still Earn Less Than Men? Tuesday Apr. 2010. Web. Flanagan, Kerry. "Gender Barriers in Sport." 13 Feb. 2008. Web. Flynn, Scott. “Athletic Women Vs. Men.” LIVESTRONG.COM. 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 09. Giordano, Peter. “Man Vs. Women in Athletics.” www.thesop.org. 23 Apr. 2007. Web. 9 Apr. 2012 Julius, Orange. Why Female Athletes Are Paid Less than Male Counterparts. Monday May 2000. Web. Lance, Larry M. “Gender Differences in Perceived Role Conflict among University Student-athletes.” CBS Interactive. CBS Interactive Business Network, 01 June 2004. Web. 11 Apr. 2012 Roenigk, Alyssa, and ESPN The Magazine. “How Much Should Female Athletes Reveal in the Name of Self-promotion?” www.sports.espn.go.com. 9 Oct. 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2012 Totallyarb. "Gender Inequality in Sport Coverage." 17 Aug. 2011. Web