According to the Center for American Progress, “Women in America are more likely to be poor than men. Over half of the 37 million Americans living in poverty today are women. And women in America are further behind than women in other countries—the gap in poverty rates between men and women is wider in America than anywhere else in the Western world.”
The poverty gap between men and women is not inevitable: why are so many women affected? Women face a much higher risk of poverty for a number of inter-related reasons, but a primary one is being paid less than men—even when women have the same qualifications and work the same hours. While the gender wage gap has narrowed over the past 30 years, more needs to be done.
We Wear the Mask: The Hidden Face of Women in Poverty was filmed to shed light on the economic injustice that women in poverty face here in Pittsburgh. By spotlighting these often overlooked and under-estimated women, this documentary demonstrates the psychological effects of stigma and powerfully represents the challenges low-income women face.
Join us for a screening of this evocative documentary which follows three different women who have faced similar struggles, illuminating the human impact of economic injustice through their stories. GWP members will be joined by Tammy T. Thompson, who is an internationally sought-after expert on poverty issues and the executive producer of the documentary. She will be available for live questions and discussion throughout and following the screening.
The following Monday, December 7th, Tammy will also be a panelist during GWP's annual meeting: Ask, Listen, Act. We invite you to register for both sessions as viewing the film will enrich and inform the panel discussion during the annual meeting. If you are unable to join us for the watch party, the film is available for on-demand viewing on Amazon.
This will be offered as a virtual session and details for connection will be shared to registrants closer to the date.
We are committed to making GWP programs accessible to all members. If you have questions, or if an accommodation would be helpful to fully participate in this program, please reach out to Paula or call 412-471-6488 and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.