Women are incredible athletes, just like men, but unfortunately they do not receive the same attention, praise, respect and pay as their male counterparts.

Male sports are more idolized and advertised than female sports.

The world in 1946 was centered around World War II, a war that lasted six years and women were seen doing all types of jobs due to the high influx of men in the war. This time period is when the world realized women could do anything men could do.

It is now 2018 and the average salary for an NBA player is $5 million. In the WNBA, the average salary is $79,000 for players with less than 6 years of experience and a max of $115,000 for players with six years of experience or more.

Stephen Curry is the NBA’s highest-paid player making more than $37 million.  He has proven he deserves this hefty salary, but there are players in the WNBA such as Diana Taurasi, who is considered the “female Michael Jordan”, who is worthy of a competitive salary.

This season, Taurasi will make a league-high $115,000. For sake of comparison, Taurasi made a little more than $3,000 per game this season. Unlike Curry, who will make more than $450,000 per game in the upcoming 2018 season.

Curry was drafted into the NBA in 2009, while Taurasi was drafted into the WNBA in 2004.

Using accolades for both players, in comparison, from the 2009 season to the present; Taurasi is a six-time All-Star, a five-time First Team All-WNBA selection, and a two-time WNBA champion. Curry is a five-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection, and a three-time NBA champion.

The 2018 NBA Finals brought an average viewing of 17.7 million viewers per game in a “down year” for the ratings, while the WNBA Finals had an increase in ratings from the year before with more than 550,000 viewers.

Which begs the question, why do fans not watch the women’s version of the same sports everyone loves? They do the same thing as men and sometimes do it better.

The only time women may, possibly, get the same attention as men are in sports like tennis and soccer. Both sports highlight well-known athletes like Serena Williams and Hope Solo.

Have you ever heard of Delfine Persoon? She is the reigning and defending WBC, WIBA, and WIBF boxing Lightweight champion. With the decrease in ratings for women’s boxing in the United States, viewers hardly get to see champions of her caliber fight on network television. Yet, Floyd Mayweather made $100 million for fighting a UFC fighter.

Women have shown they are just as capable as men are within the sports industry. They are more than just housewives and stay at home moms. They are businesswomen, athletes, and, most of all, our equals.