Catt Sadler had a career spanning two decades as a co-host for a two-hour, midday E! News show called “Daily Pop.” It was an emotional goodbye as she left the show. Catt spoke of her broadcasting experience. “This experience for me at this table has been an absolute dream come true,” she said. “It’s live. It’s daytime. It’s so real. It’s so raw.” A report by the Washington Post relayed most of the facts used in this article.

Leaving on principle

So why was she leaving her dream job? The answer resides in a recent personal Blog Post that reflected the ongoing debate about national gender pay inequality.

An E! News company executive leaked to Sadler that her co-host Jason Kennedy, who she nicknamed “my TV husband,” was making about double her salary despite the fact that their jobs were identical in nature.

Setting a good example

Sadler stated in her blog post that she wanted to set a good example for her two children. Sadler was also inspired by women who came forward with stories of sexual assault and sexual harassment that launched the continuing #MeToo movement. “Countless brave women have come forward this year to speak their truth,” Sadler wrote. “Females refuse to remain silent on issues that matter most because without our voices, how will we invoke lasting change?

How can we make it better for the next generation of girls if we do not stand for what is fair and just today?”

An attempt at negotiating

Sadler attempted to negotiate with the network and she said she and her team “asked for what I know I deserve and were denied repeatedly.” Sadler explained why she left the network. “Know your worth,” she advised.

Sadler expressed, ”I have two decades experience in broadcasting and started at the network the very same year as my close friend and colleague that I adore. I so lovingly refer to him as my “TV husband” and I mean it. Catt inquired, “But how can I operate with integrity and stay on at E if they’re not willing to pay me the same as him?

Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years? How can I not echo the actions of my heroes and stand for what is right no matter what the cost? How can I remain silent when my rights under the law have been violated?” No spokesman for E! responded to Sadler’s statement.

A big issue

This issue has caused much debate in this country since the end of World War II when many women entered the workforce. Women who worked full time in 2016 made 81 cents when a man made a dollar. Being a college graduate widens that gap and is a gap that is “far larger in business, finance, and legal careers than in science and technology jobs.” Age further increases the gap, especially with women who marry and start having children.

More cases of pay inequality

It’s even worse for those employed by President Trump since the White House’s gender pay gap has more than tripled. In August, the Trump administration ceased an Obama policy that required large companies to report pay data on race and gender to promote better policies to ensure equal pay. In 2011, “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski revealed that her co-host and now husband Joe Scarborough made 14 times more in salary than she. “It was my fault, ultimately, that I was in that position because I accepted a deal that wasn’t right for me,” Mika said. She added that it “took four tries” with MSNBC’s Phil Griffin “to get it right for myself.”

In 2015, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence posted on Facebook, “Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?” She commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever worked for a man in charge who spent time contemplating what angle he should use to have his voice heard.

It’s just heard.” She added, “Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper all fought and succeeded in negotiating powerful deals for themselves. If anything, I’m sure they were commended for being fierce and tactical, while I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat and not getting my fair share.”
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