Legislators recently reintroduced a 2021 bill that would protect Black women and girls from inequities.
On Wednesday, U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly, D-Ill, Jennifer McClellan, D-Va, Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa, Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J. and others spoke at a press conference about the Protect Black Women and Girls Act.
First introduced in 2021, under the Protect Black Women and Girls Act, an Interagency Task Force would be developed to research the experiences of Black women and girls in a variety of fields including labor, housing, justice, education, healthcare and economic development.
Using research, the representatives and task force would come up with “community-based methods” to address the disparities that Black women and girls are forced to deal with.
According to the lawmakers, students from Black sororities such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. urged them to introduce legislation that offers aid to Black women and girls.
“It is long past time for this country to acknowledge the disturbing treatment Black women and girls endure, but acknowledgement will not be enough,” said Congresswoman Kelly about the act per a statement..“We must dedicate federal resources to examining the causes of these issues and commit ourselves to improving the education, healthcare, economic opportunity and civil rights available to American Black women and girls.”
“ I am proud to introduce the Protect Black Women and Girls Act alongside my Caucus on Black Women and Girls Co-Chairs and Congressman Fitzpatrick,” she added.
I'm proud to introduce the Protect Black Women and Girls Act beside so many of my friends and colleagues. This legislation will ensure that Black women and girls have the opportunities they deserve to thrive. pic.twitter.com/0RNPmJ0dd1
— Robin Kelly (@RepRobinKelly) February 15, 2024
Black women and girls are often forced to deal with a variety of inequities, particularly when entering career fields.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the wage gap for Black women is 69 cents for full-time and 66 cents for both full-time and part-time workers.
The economic inequity begins as soon as Black women receive higher education.
Per the nonprofit the American Association of University Women, they are more likely to pay for school with federal student loans; according to their latest research, the AAUX reports that, while 41% of Black women are forced to receive student loans, only 28% of white women report the same.
With the gender wage gap and the racial wealth gap, Black women have increased difficulty repaying these loans, even when having a full-time job.
Although education should help equal the work field, racial and gender discrimination means that Black women are also often left out of higher positions.
Overall, Black women hold just one percent and three percent of high positions in white male-dominated fields such as engineering and computing.
