The topic of pay disparities among whites and Blacks has been a significant issue regardless of the profession. Activists and public figures alike have brought awareness to the pressing matter over the years, and now another celebrity is using her platform to shed light on the topic.
Actress Reagan Gomez, best known for her role on “The Parent ‘Hood,” took to her Twitter account with some interesting research. In a series of tweets, the actress revealed that she discovered that white actresses playing similar roles were getting a much higher salary.
“Not so random. I did a film recently. RECENTLY. When negotiating pay, I found out that B/C/D list white actresses, for the same work, on another network were getting 3 X WHAT I GOT. Same work. Similar storyline. But THEY, WW (in my similar celeb status) still got 3X more,” Gomez tweeted. She continued, “So when we talk about the racial/gender wealth gap & how much Black Americans have lost out on….yeah. It’s a LOT. And even in the gender wage gap, WW while still making less than WM, still make WAY MORE than BW/WOC. I bring that up bcuz, when I think about how much black ppl.. have lost out on, in our lifetimes, it’s so much. So so much. In every career, every education level…from the time we are born until the day we die.”
Gomez dove further into her explanation tweeting, “That’s housing, education, statistics show that while BW are the most educated/we are promoted THE LEAST, health care, self care, childhood activities…hell, travel. We love talking about passport twitter but the reality is ppl are BROKE.”
The actress’s findings proved to be correct. According to a study done by the National Urban League in 2018, Black women make 38 percent less than White men and 21 percent less than white women. Studies also showed that for every dollar a white man earned, a black woman only made 63 cents. The research also stated that Black women work more hours than white women and still earn less than them. Also, White men with advanced degrees make about $17 more per hour than Black women with advanced degrees.
Gomez concluded her virtual discussion on the importance of voting especially among people in the Black community. “Black voters are the smartest and most reliable voters in this country and I’m willing to die on that hill. And history PROVES this. Cause we have & have always had THE MOST to lose,” she wrote. “And yes…YES we still have a long way to go. Yes we’ve been screwed over. Yes voter apathy is real & a direct result of all of the unseen, uncredited labor Black activists & organizers have been doing for centuries. And still…you will not win without whose vote? That’s right.”
