A century ago, brave women won us the vote. On #equalpayday 2017 it's our turn. STAND UP AND BE COUNTED for all women to be equal at work. pic.twitter.com/R6lzVYsgNL
— Carrie Gracie (@BBCCarrie) November 10, 2017
BBC pay is back at the top of the news agenda this morning, with people around the world tweeting their support for its China editor. Why? Last night, Carrie Gracie resigned over pay inequality between men and women, saying there was a "crisis of trust" at the corporation.
Gracie, a BBC journalist for three decades and one of its four international editors, published an open letter to licence fee payers on her website in which she resigned from her post over pay inequality with male colleagues. She said she believed the public has "a right to know that [the BBC] is breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure."
Gracie has garnered much support for her bold move, with countless colleagues, MPs, members of the public and celebrities, including Emma Watson, commenting publicly on the scandal and using the hashtags #IStandWithCarrie and #BBCwomen.
Last July, when the BBC was forced to reveal the salaries of staff earning more than £150,000, it emerged that the two male international editors – US editor Jon Sopel and Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen – were on the list, while she and her colleague Katya Adler, Europe editor, were absent.
I am not asking for more money...I simply want the BBC to abide by the law and value men and women equally
"I am not asking for more money," Gracie continued. "I believe I am very well paid already – especially as someone working for a publicly funded organisation. I simply want the BBC to abide by the law and value men and women equally." The BBC told her "there were differences between roles which justified the pay gap, but it has refused to explain these differences."
Gracie claimed the corporation wasn't following through on its commitment in July to give equal pay to men and women doing equal work. "For the first time, women saw hard evidence of what they’d long suspected, that they are not being valued equally."
She said that while many women have since sought equal pay "through internal negotiation... managers still deny there is a problem," adding that the situation would likely "end in a disastrous legal defeat for the BBC and an exodus of female talent at every level."
"The support that I've had speaks to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system."@BBCCarrie says she has been moved by the support for her resignation over gender pay row. More here 👉 https://t.co/pMJE08Hsoq#r4today pic.twitter.com/J1KuTF40kg
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) January 8, 2018
Gracie said she won't be leaving the corporation completely but will return from Beijing to her previous job in the BBC newsroom, "where I expect to be paid equally". The group BBC Women, made up of more than 130 broadcasters and producers, was formed in the wake of July's revelations and released a statement in support of Gracie.
Statement from more than a hundred #bbcwomen pic.twitter.com/7CTw351M3P
— lucy manning (@lucymanning) January 8, 2018
Emma Watson, who was asked about the story at the Golden Globes in LA last night, said that while the BBC's commitment to pay equality was "great... we need to see them fulfil it," the BBC reported. "What has happened with the resignation is a really good example. You have got to follow through. You have to back up what you are saying."
Female politicians and campaigners praised Gracie's move on Twitter, including SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and no-nonsense Labour MP Jess Phillips, who tweeted saying she'll start paying 50% less of her licence fee.
This @BBCCarrie letter is a must read. All respect to her. https://t.co/9CvZrsyWLR
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 8, 2018
Heres my suggestion. I'll pay 50% less of my licence fee. I love and would die in ditch for the BBC but this isn't the gender pay gap even, this is equal pay issue and it's illegal to pay her less than men doing equivalent work. SORT IT OUT https://t.co/5FU0YDodOt
— Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) January 7, 2018
BBC China Editor @BBCCarrie resigns post over unequal pay in the @BBC. Such an incredible letter exposing the gender pay gap at the BBC. Please read in full #bbcwomen #equalpay #istandwithcarrie https://t.co/mffcMC4vnP
— Amelia Womack (@Amelia_Womack) January 8, 2018
BBC China editor Carrie Grace taking a principled stand after BBC refuses to pay her fairly. 2nd most-read story on the BBC, good for her! Also great to see so many women employed by the BBC tweeting in solidarity. Come on gents, speak up #IStandWithCarrie https://t.co/QBlu0Ofqrl
— Paris Lees (@parislees) January 7, 2018
Many of Gracie's female colleagues at the BBC, and others in the media associated with the corporation, also got behind her, with many describing her as "brave and brilliant".
Brave, brilliant @BBCCarrie please read her letter as she resigns as China editor over #equalpay @thetimes #IStandWithCarrie
— Jane Garvey (@janegarvey1) January 7, 2018
.@BBCCarrie Gracie is brave and brilliant. Not sure what is so hard to understand about #equalpay for equal work. #IstandwithCarrie
— Sarah Montague (@Sarah_Montague) January 7, 2018
.@BBCCarrie is an outstanding and principled journalist and I am proud to stand with her #bbcwomen #equalpay #istandwithcarrie
— Kirsty Wark (@KirstyWark) January 7, 2018
brave brilliant #CarrieGracie #istandwithCarrie #equalpay #BBCwomen
— lyse doucet (@bbclysedoucet) January 7, 2018
What an amazing front page @thetimes - ! the women no longer prepared to put up with the stuff they shouldn't ( wasn't actually including reshuffle ) https://t.co/SBWTwBRQJu
— emily m (@maitlis) January 7, 2018
A woman I already greatly admired - now even more so.
— Naga Munchetty (@BBCNaga) January 7, 2018
BBC China Editor Carrie Gracie steps down over over unequal pay:
Read this to know why: https://t.co/pMTV75JlIt#bbcwomen #equalpay #istandwithcarrie
If you haven’t read Carrie Gracie’s letter yet, here it is in full: https://t.co/eSMU3x5aCS. If you support her, please retweet. #equalpay #bbcwomen #IStandWithCarrie
— Clare Balding (@clarebalding) January 8, 2018
Proud to be a colleague of China editor @BBCCarrie who will be on Woman's Hour at 10am explaining why she's quit over #equalpay https://t.co/1xJipPzVkh #istandwithcarrie #BBCWomen pic.twitter.com/hzwldNuLoi
— Samira Ahmed (@SamiraAhmedUK) January 8, 2018
Equal Pay for Equal Work? Much too revolutionary an idea for my pretty little head. I need to lie down before I have a fit of the vapours. #IStandWithCarrie #equalpay #BBCwomen
— Sandi Toksvig (@sanditoksvig) January 8, 2018
There was less support from men working at the corporation, although a few did put their heads above the parapet.
To the naysayers, note Carrie says she wants equal pay. Not a pay rise. Work it out. (It would help save some of that £80m too) #Istandwithcarrie https://t.co/HRY3UcPPt2
— Matthew Price (@BBCMatthewPrice) January 7, 2018
A zinger of a letter from @BBCCarrie -- brave, thoughtful, powerful, forensic, dignified. #istandwithcarrie https://t.co/rGetZOQ27x
— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) January 7, 2018
Time for the BBC and all of UK journalism industry to get to grips with pay gap #IStandWithCarrie
— Tom Bateman (@tombateman) January 7, 2018
I said on our programme last week, there are a number of awkward conversations ongoing between colleagues, and justifiable anger. Fair pay for same work. I would want it for my daughter. #IstandWithCarrie
— Christian Fraser (@ChristianFraser) January 7, 2018
Have read through Carrie Gracie’s full letter this morning and it is as powerful as it is brave. Just a complete shame she had to write it #EqualPay #IStandWithCarrie @BBCCarrie
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) January 8, 2018
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