Friday, Sep. 10, 2010
Burning Money for Justice
In 2008, women who worked full-time in Sweden earned an average of 19% less than their male counterparts did. To protest this inequality, the country's Feminist Initiative party staged an event in July to burn 100,000 kronor (about $13,000) — a sum the party said was representative of the money women were missing out on every minute in comparison to men. That's right, to protest making less money, they barbecued a hefty wad of cold, hard cash. The party leader said, "It may seem desperate to burn 100,000 kronor, but the situation is desperate as well." The money was donated by an advertising agency — given that the event was news worldwide, those dollars probably paid off.