Women’s Law Center honors national team stars’ fight for pay

The issue of gender pay inequity in professional athletics has garnered significant attention recently, spotlighting the stark disparity in earnings between female athletes and their male counterparts. The topic was high on the agenda at the recent Pursuit of Justice Awards, hosted by the California Women's Law Center, where two-time World Cup champions and equal pay advocates, Christen Press and Tobin Heath of the U.S. women's national soccer team, were honored for their dedication to the cause.

Press described her mission to end the gender pay gap as "the feeling of doing something greater than you can imagine." Both she and Heath have used their platform to advocate for fair treatment and compensation for female athletes.

Betsy Butler, executive director California Women's Law Center. Photo by Aurelia D'Amore Photography http://www.damore.biz

Executive Director Betsy Butler addressed the packed event, emphasizing the center's openness to new legislative ideas aimed at advancing gender equality and justice. Butler stressed the importance of breaking down barriers not only in sports but across all sectors of society, to ensure that young girls and women have equal opportunities and are fairly compensated for their contributions.

Erin Bromaghim, the deputy mayor of international affairs in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, also spoke at the event. She offered practical advice on how to support the fight to end the gender pay gap in professional sports. "We need to show our support by being season ticket holders," Bromaghim said, underscoring the role fans can play in driving change.