Just recently the U.S. Women’s National ice hockey team has decided to boycott the next world championship over the issue of fair wages. USA Hockey has been favoring the men’s team and the female players are finally taking a stand against this treatment.
The female players get paid $1,000 a month for six months during their Olympic cycle. They do not get paid during the remaining 3 1/2 years that they are playing. According to Meghan Duggan, a forward for the USA Hockey team, says, “It’s 365 days a year to be an Olympic Athlete.” She goes on to say in an article written by NPR that it’s not fair to only get paid for the six months, considering hockey is her life.
Because of these unfair wages players have been having to get other jobs on top of having to train to be an Olympic athlete. The players for the men’s team can avoid this considering all of them play for the NHL. The NHL requires an entry level player to receive a contract with a minimum salary of $500,000. To put that in comparison the NWHL players have been receiving a salary of about $10,000 and that has recently been cut in half.
Hockey is usually defined as a sport for men, but that is only because people let it be defined that way. The U.S. women’s hockey team boycotting for better treatment could possibly change the way people see hockey and the way women are treated in this sport. Unfortunately, the fight still continues because Dave Ogrean, USA Hockey’s executive director, said he had a Plan B if the players continued to boycott. Instead of listening to the problems that the players have, the USA Hockey organization might bring in replacement players.
Having women still fight for fair treatment seems silly in the 21st century, yet more and more women are putting up a fight. These admirable women are fighting for what they believe in and need to be heard and supported. Don’t let this fight end until the players are treated the same. Show your support and use the #BeBoldforChange on twitter.