Swedish feminists burn $13,000 in salary protest

[July 06, 2010]  STOCKHOLM (AP) -- A Swedish feminist party has burned 100,000 Swedish kronor ($13,000) at a barbecue in a protest against unequal pay for men and women.

The Feminist Initiative party says the money set ablaze on the Swedish island of Gotland on Tuesday represents the amount of money the country's women miss out on every minute in comparison to men.

Party leader Gudrun Schyman says "it may seem desperate to burn 100,000 kronor, but the situation is desperate as well."

Sweden is known internationally for gender equality but women still earn less than men. According to the national statistics agency, the average salary in 2008 of women working full-time was about 19 percent lower than that of men.

The burnt money had been donated by an advertising agency.

[Associated Press]

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