To the Editor:

Ever since dinosaurs ruled our planet, men have been favored over women. Stronger? Braver? More athletic?

Sure, maybe it used to be like that, but times are changing!

Now there are humans instead of T-Rexes, but more people than you think are still sexist. They don’t think women can be as good as men, but they can! No, wait, they are.

The USWNT, or United States Women’s National Team, just proved that women are as good as men, if not better. This amazing soccer team won the 2015 FIFA — the Fédération Internationale de Football (International Federation of Association Football) — Women’s World Cup. They won, 5 to 2, against Japan!

The team has won three World Cups, including the first women’s one ever in 1991. The five amazing goals were scored by Tobin Heath with one, Lauren Holiday with one, and Carli Lloyd with three goals! I watched the whole game live, they were amazing!

I have also seen men's games before, and they are both amazing teams. So, here's the part I don’t understand.

There is a huge pay gap between the Men’s Division and the Women’s. I know what you’re thinking, “Oh, well it can’t be that bad, can it?” Well, yes it can.

The USWNT got paid $2 million for winning the World Cup. The men’s team, USMNT, got paid $8 million just for making it to Round 16. That’s $5 million right there. Yeah, yeah. “Wow — $5 million.”

Well, it gets worse. The German Men’s Team got paid — wait for it — $35 million! The Germans won the Men’s World Cup, and got paid $35 million. The USWNT got paid $2 million, and they won.

I play soccer myself, and I am a girl. Maybe these two things make it easier for me to see, but this is so unfair! If I grow up to be a famous soccer player, I wouldn’t want to get paid $33 million less than the men!

Would anyone? No!

The former team captain, Abby Wambach, said it herself, the pay gap in soccer is “unfortunately something you have to accept on some level, but when you do win you then have the opportunity and the platform to start voicing your opinion about, hey you know what, this is a little too big of a pay gap.”

She is 100 percent right, too. The players have to accept this, but really, is it actually acceptable?

Even though it doesn’t seem like it, the Women’s Division is under tougher conditions than the men. For example, opposing teams had to stay in the same hotel.

These are really competitive women, as you can see, so can you really imagine them staying in the same hotel?

They are also forced to play two of their major games on turf, or fake grass. I have played on turf before, and, when you fall or slide, it hurts. The turf is not only painful, it’s unsafe! The turf often comes up and becomes a hazard for players. They could easily trip and hurt themselves.

The women, like I said, had to play on turf. The men have always played on real grass. Does that really seem fair?

You could say that men have always been favored over women, but times are changing! There is better technology, people act differently, and we are open to change.

Why can’t people realize that there is no need for sexism! Sure, maybe the men’s sports are more profitable, but, wait.

The Women’s World Cup drew record-breaking crowds, more people than the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, and even last year’s World Series! So, in the long run, how is men’s soccer more profitable, exactly? I just don’t understand!

The USWNT is such an amazing, athletic, and all-around awesome team. They have some of the best moves I have ever seen, from midfielder Tobin Heath with her mind-blowing footwork, to goalkeeper Hope Solo with her outstanding saves.

This team is just as good as the men’s United States  team, so why is there a $33 million difference?! You’re probably thinking, “So, what am I supposed to do?”

Well, try to treat everyone equally, no matter their race, gender, or look. Little by little, we can rid the world of sexism!

Quincy Marian Brown

Farnsworth Middle School