Flashback: Ronda Rousey Shuts Down Equal Pay Question to Cheers from Audience
On Wednesday, a video clip of former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey resurfaced in which she explains why a pay gap exists between men and women in professional sports.
During a press conference in 2015, Rousey was asked by a reporter for her thoughts on the “pay dispute going on with the women’s soccer team at the moment,” along with what she thought of the broader issue of the gender pay gap in sports
Rousey’s answer brought the house down.
“How much you get paid should have something to do with how much money you bring in. I’m the highest paid fighter, not because Dana and Lorenzo wanted to do something nice for the ladies,” the fighter responded, referring to UFC owners Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta.
“They do it because I bring in the highest numbers,” she continued. “Because I make them the most money. So I think the money that they make should be proportionate to the money they bring in.”
In 2015, Ronda Rousey shut down the women’s soccer equal pay question with logic.
“How much you get paid should have something to do with how much money you bring in. I’m the highest paid fighter, NOT BECAUSE (UFC owners) wanted to do something nice for the ladies.” #USWNTParade pic.twitter.com/RGVMiYcG9C
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) July 10, 2019
Rousey’s statement is exactly the kind of response that celebrities must give to dispel the myths about the gender pay gap that continue to surface on social media.
Earlier in 2015, Rousey was asked a similar question about overall pay for athletes.
“I think that they should get paid more than the ring girls,” Rousey said, according to Uproxx. “And I don’t know if the ring girls get paid too much or the fighters don’t get paid enough. But yeah. There’s definitely a lot more in what the fighters do than what they do. So, I think that’s one thing that’s unfair.”
Rousey again makes the case for pay based on merit: superior work warrants higher pay.
Professional athletes should take a moment to consider their earnings and just how much more money they make than the average American.
If an athlete feels he isn’t being paid enough, he should talk to the higher-ups and get their perspective before manufacturing rage online.
Even if employers won’t meet their salary demands, athletes have options. They can stay put and be satisfied with what they’re earning, they can stay put and fume, or they can take their skills to a different franchise that’s willing to offer better compensation.
Regardless, more celebrity athletes should speak up to combat the pay gap myth. Ronda Rousey’s unequivocal statements are a great first step.
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