Legendary Campaigner Dies Unexpectedly

Lilly Ledbetter, the legendary campaigner for equal pay, has passed away at the age of 86.

At a glance:

  • Lilly Ledbetter, an icon in the fight for equal pay, has passed away at 86 after a brief illness.
  • Her lawsuit against Goodyear led to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009.
  • Ledbetter’s advocacy for wage equality continued until her death, despite losing her initial lawsuit and never receiving compensation.

Lilly Ledbetter, the woman whose name became synonymous with the fight for equal pay, has passed away at the age of 86. Ledbetter’s lawsuit against her employer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., after discovering she was paid less than her male counterparts, became the catalyst for significant change in wage discrimination law. Though she lost her case in the Supreme Court due to a technicality about the timing of her complaint, her persistence led to the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009.

https://x.com/DougJones/status/1846250290023915937

The Supreme Court’s ruling in 2007 determined that workers had to file discrimination lawsuits within six months of their first discriminatory paycheck, which in Ledbetter’s case was years before she discovered the pay disparity. However, the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill signed into law by President Obama, allowed workers to sue within 180 days of receiving any discriminatory paycheck.

https://x.com/JenSiebelNewsom/status/1845867275158696074

Ledbetter continued to advocate for pay equality for the rest of her life. Even after losing her case and never receiving compensation, her fight for equal pay sparked a movement that resonated across the nation. Ledbetter’s story inspired many, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who called on Congress to act in her dissent in the Supreme Court case.

In addition to her legislative victory, Ledbetter’s story was turned into a film, “LILLY,” which premiered shortly before her death. Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Barack Obama, and numerous others paid tribute to her legacy, remembering her as a relentless advocate for equality. Ledbetter’s determination demonstrated how personal loss could lead to broader societal victories, making her an enduring figure in the battle for pay equity in America.

For all the Democrats mourning her passing today, we have one question:

What is a woman?