This January, working women crossed another hurdle in the fight to end pay discrimination when President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

In May, Lilly Ledbetter told her story to a room full of women at Women Employed’s The Working Lunch. She described how, after 20 years at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, she learned that she had been the victim of pay discrimination and was making far less than men who were doing the same job. Lilly sued Goodyear. She continued to fight for fair pay for all women, even when the Supreme Court decided against her. In January, Congress took a stand on pay equity and passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. President Obama showed his commitment to fairness for women when he made it the first bill he signed upon taking office.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a huge victory for women, but we need to keep fighting. On average, a woman in America still makes only 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. In nearly every occupation women are paid less than men, even if they have the same education and experience. Female-dominated professions, like childcare and teaching, pay less than male-dominated professions, like construction and engineering, even when they require more skill, education, and responsibility. A woman can lose hundreds of thousands of dollars over her lifetime because of wage discrimination – a loss that affects not just her, but her entire family. Wage inequality means less food on the table for our families, fewer parents able to send their kids to college, and smaller retirement funds for our elderly.

That is why it is so important to follow Lilly’s example to fight wage discrimination. Change is possible, and we can make it happen. Let’s make sure all of America’s women – our mothers and daughters, sisters and nieces, friends and coworkers – receive equal pay for equal work. We have huge opportunities, but we need to speak up to make sure equal pay is a priority.

What you can do:

• Visit www.womenemployed.org to find out more about issues that affect working women.
• Tell your elected officials to vote for bills like the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen penalties for equal pay violations.
• Sign up for Women Employed’s Action Network to receive news, alerts, and quick actions you can take on fair pay issues.
• For updates follow Women Employed on Twitter and become a fan of their Facebook page.