Lilly Ledbetter, Equal Pay Advocate, Dies at 86

Lilly Ledbetter, a renowned advocate for equal pay, passed away at the age of 86 due to respiratory failure, surrounded by family in Alabama. Her activism began when she discovered earning significantly less than her male counterparts at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., leading to a landmark legal battle that culminated in the Supreme Court's unfavorable ruling in 2007. Despite the setback, her efforts led to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2009, which expanded the time frame for filing pay discrimination claims. Recently honored with the Future Is Female Lifetime Achievement Award, Ledbetter's legacy continues to inspire the fight for gender pay equity. Obama praised her as an ordinary woman who achieved extraordinary things, emphasizing her lasting impact on the movement for equality. A film about her life, “Lilly,” premiered just a week prior to her passing, further cementing her status as a cultural icon in the struggle for fair wages.