Equal cover art

Equal

How we fix the gender pay gap

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Equal

By: Carrie Gracie
Narrated by: Carrie Gracie
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Buy Now for £14.35

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About this listen

 * Shortlisted for the Unwin Award *
* Longlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award *

'Gracie tells the story of her struggle and eventual triumph as a way of encouraging us, of changing our society, of giving us all courage . . . Equal is a very important book' Sandi Toksvig

Equal pay has been the law for half a century. But women often get paid less than men, even when they're doing equal work.

Mostly they don't know because pay is secret. But what if a woman finds out? What should she do?

In Equal, award-winning journalist Carrie Gracie covers her own experience of holding her employer - the BBC - to account and investigates why we're still being paid unequally. Equal will open your eyes, fix your resolve and give you the tools to act - and act now.

'Equal tells a personal story that changed the public debate' Guardian
'Pulls no punches' Sunday Times
'Full of sound advice for women' Observer
'A gripping personal story told with warmth and wit' Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister Career Success Gender Studies Politics & Government Social Sciences Women in Business Women in Politics Workplace & Organisational Behavior Workplace Culture Business Equality

Critic reviews

Part instruction manual, part howl of rage, Equal tells a personal story that changed the public debate . . . The book is full of advice for others - there is a separate section at the end for employers, men and women . . . [Carrie Gracie's] decision to use her personal story for the public good has put the issue of equal pay firmly on the agenda
The BBC's former China editor recounts her hard-fought battle with the broadcaster for equal pay, artfully weaving in the history of gender inequality and tips for women - and men - who wish to continue her campaign for equitable treatment
Carrie Gracie's pragmatic and honest tone hugely boosts her aim of inspiring millions of women 'who are at grave risk of being underpaid and undervalued at some stage in their working lives, if not throughout it'
Carrie Gracie pulls no punches in this account of how she clashed with the BBC over gender-pay inequality . . . In the book, which is written with great clarity and backed up by a good deal of research, Gracie not only details her own experience but also weaves in studies showing how unconscious bias and gender stereotyping leave women undervalued at work
An instructive account of a gruelling battle for equal pay at the BBC . . . [Equal] is about more than just well-heeled media folk. Gracie paints a broader picture of the historical, academic and legal context of women's fight for equality . . . [It's] a tribute to the power of collective action
[Carrie Gracie's] important account of her struggle to win equal pay is full of sound advice for women . . . Gracie understands all the various ways in which pay inequality can play havoc with a person's self-belief and peace of mind, and in her book she staples them to the page . . . For me, the most resonant parts of her book have to do with her self worth. "Carrie, it's always such a joy to see you," says James Harding, the then director of news at the BBC, when she sees him for a meeting in 2015. "You deliver so much and ask so little." (Rachel Cooke)
She quit her job as the BBC's China editor over pay discrimination. Now, in a personal and campaigning book, Carrie Gracie explains how to achieve true equality - both in terms of pay and in life
The story of [Carrie Gracie's] campaign - and why it matters
What I admire about Carrie Gracie is not just her bravery, though that is amazing, but more that she tells the story of her struggle and eventual triumph as a way of encouraging us, of changing our society, of giving us all courage. She shows what can happen when women work together to call out blatant injustice and to insist that all women are fairly and equally paid. It's hard to believe we're still having these conversations in 2019 but we are and that is why we need heroes like Carrie. EQUAL is a very important book (Sandi Toksvig)
All stars
Most relevant
This is a brilliant book from the hugely impressive Carrie Gracie. Insightful, candid, and a real call to arms.

Brilliant, insightful - a real call to arms

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One would not expect the BBC, a publicly owned broadcaster in the UK, to behave like a legal gang of thugs. In this book, it clearly shows how personal and thuggery and thuggish behaviour becomes when egos are touched. The BBC as shown in this book is after all managed by people who can if not managed right behave like thugs. And using public money going on a spending spree with lawyers and consultants to cover their tracks and thuggish behaviour.

It is very much possible that your employer is behaving similarly and denying your equality before the law.

This book is a fascinating account of a woman 🚺 who took on the BBC and its thuggish behaving management structure and won. Thus book is a great resource full of details plans of action.

I would recommend it if you work in management or aspire to. If you have an interest in finding out how unequal women are treated. If you want to find out that your salary is most probably less than a man next to you doing the same job or work of equal value under the pretence that they have something more special than you.

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez is another great resource to support your cause for equal pay.

Taking on the BBC - Did not see this coming

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It made me think of all the times I have striven for promotion and recognition where my male counterparts seemed to sail through. Not any more.

Powerful

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