International Women’s Day 2020: Hollywood Actresses Who Took Big Stages To Talk About Equal Pay

This International Women's Day, let's give a shoutout to all the women out there who have raised their voice to fight against the inequality that prevails in the society and at the workspace. Men getting paid more than women is a common phenomenon all across the globe and many powerful ladies like Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Emma Watson and others have raised their concern over the wage gap that prevails in the industry.  

Here's a list of a few ladies who took a step to get everyone on the same level. Women are entitled and deserve to get an equal amount of paycheck as their male counterparts and these ladies have tried to advocate the same time and again. 

  Emma Watson

She is the one who launched a massive fight against the pay gap in Hollywood. She is the one who started with HeForShe initiative to bring about gender equality and it was during her speech in 2014 at the United Nations, Emma called for great applause. In the speech, she said, “I think it is right I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decisions that affect my life. I think it is right that socially, I am afforded the same respect as men,” as reported by The People.   

Oprah Winfrey

While Oprah Winfrey didn't fight for herself to get equal pay, she fought for the female producers of the show 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'. In an interview with TIME, she shared about this and said, "I was making a lot of money, and my producers were still getting the same salary. I went to my boss at the time and I said, ‘Everybody needs a raise.’ And he said, ‘Why?’ ” She further went on to narrate, “He actually said to me, ‘They’re only girls. They’re a bunch of girls. What do they need more money for?’ I go, ‘Well, either they’re gonna get raises, or I’m gonna sit down. I will not work unless they get paid.’ And so they did.”

Meryl Streep

Unlike other actresses, Meryl has spoken about how men in the Hollywood industry now feel ashamed that their female co-stars get paid less. In 2016, she gave an interview to TIME and was quoted saying, "Men are ashamed that they’re getting that money. It used to be, everybody didn’t say anything about it, so it was kind of fine. Now they’re a little more nervous that somebody will find out what they make vis-a-vis their co-star."

Beyonce

For The Shiver Report, Beyonce penned a letter with the title, "Gender Equality Is A Myth". In this piece, she spoke about how females make much less then men and this scenario will only change when men start demanding equality for the opposite gender. "Men have to demand that their wives, daughters, mothers, and sisters earn more—commensurate with their qualifications and not their gender. Equality will be achieved when men and women are granted equal pay and equal respect," an excerpt from her letter read.

Priyanka Chopra

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra who has swiftly moved her base to Hollywood has time and again, raised her concerns over the issue of the pay gap that exists in the film industry across the globe. In an old interview with Glamour, she was quoted saying, It’s "You will be rejected. I was rejected many times. I cried. I was told that female actors are replaceable in films because they just stand behind a guy anyway.” She also accepted the fact that she gets paid much less than the boys.