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When Russian police arrested All-Star WNBA player Brittney Griner on alleged petty drug charges, her family and supporters were shaken. They immediately began campaigning for her return home.
However, the real reason behind why she was even in Russia in the first place is troubling.
She's not getting paid enough! The WNBA doesn't pay its athletes nearly as much as NBA players. The WNBA salary cap is $1.4 million per team, while the minimum salary for an NBA player with one year of experience is a projected $1.637 million.
The disparity only deepens.
In 2020, the average NBA salary was $5.4 million compared to $126,000 for the WNBA, meaning an NBA player makes about forty-four times more. Nneka Ogwumike, head of the WNBA players union, said, "The reality is, she's over there because of a gender issue — pay inequity."
We must also consider this one crucial thing.
Most WNBA players are Black, and like Griner, Black women have always been paid inequitably. But reducing the earnings gap and investing in Black women could create over one million jobs in the US and add about $450 billion to the economy.
Like Brittney Griner, our women shouldn't have to do the most to be paid what they're worth. Our liberation depends on our entire community–an equitable society is better for everyone!