On Tuesday, We Wear Red: How to Make a Silent Statement of Solidarity this Equal Pay Day

As a pay gap remains persistent for women—and even more so for most women of color—making a fashion statement may feel as if it should be the furthest thing from our minds. But as millions of women (and hopefully, not only women) rally against pay inequality on Tuesday, April 2, we’ll be seeing red—lots of it.

As a show of solidarity, the color of Equal Pay Day is red—to show how “in the red” women and minorities are when it comes to garnering equal pay for equal work. Current research generally indicates women make approximately $.80 to every dollar made by their white, male counterparts (h/t U.S. News & World Report); a gap that widens depending on occupation and ethnicity, currently leaving Hispanic women of indiscriminate race at the bottom tier of earners.

While wearing red may not seem like much, on the day that signifies how long it takes women to “catch up,” it is a visual demonstration of our presence in the world—and our collective commitment to earning our worth—which at the current rate won’t happen for over 200 years.

So, if the fight for pay equity understandably feels futile, never underestimate the power of small gestures. On Equal Pay Day, #WeWearRed—to the office, to the protests, and, if you’re a Chicagoan like me, to the polls to vote for the city’s first black woman mayor.