Let’s Talk About the Money Honey!

Why We Stay Silent About Pay

Money talk has been branded as “taboo.”
We’re told it’s unprofessional. Impolite. Personal.

But let’s be honest: that silence is strategic. It protects employers, not employees. When we don’t talk about compensation, we can’t spot the gaps. We can’t fight for fairness. We can’t grow.

And guess what? It’s by design.

Silence Is Expensive

You could be underpaid by thousands and have no idea.
Why? Because most people around you are too scared to say what they earn.

This is how wage gaps persist:

• Women are underpaid

• Professionals of Color are undervalued

• First-gen professionals don’t know what’s “normal”

• Loyalty is exploited because no one’s talking

Every underpaid person thinks they’re the only one. Until we start comparing notes.

Talking About Pay Is an Act of Solidarity

Talking about compensation isn’t bragging.
It’s not shameful.
It’s not “being difficult.”

It’s how we protect each other.

When you tell a friend or peer what you make:

• You give them leverage

• You model transparency

• You disrupt the secrecy that keeps people small

Silence protects the system. Transparency protects people.

Normalize These Conversations

Here’s how you break the cycle without making it awkward:

🗣 “Hey, I’m applying for a similar role, can I ask what range you were offered?”
🗣 “I just got a raise and it made me realize how off my previous salary was, want to compare notes?”
🗣 “Can we normalize talking about our rates? Especially as [women/BIPOC/freelancers] - I want us all to get paid fairly.”

Make it normal. Make it casual. Make it safe.

Compensation Is More Than Salary

When we talk about money, let’s talk about all of it:

• Base salary

• Bonuses

• Equity

• PTO

• Health coverage

• Parental leave

• Remote flexibility

• Retirement contributions

Two people making the same salary can have very different realities. Don’t let the number fool you.

Afraid to Share? Here’s the Mindset Shift

If you're hesitant to talk about your pay, ask yourself:
👉🏾 Who benefits from my silence?
👉🏾 Would knowing this have helped me a few years ago?
👉🏾 What could transparency unlock for someone else?

We don’t talk about pay to compare. We talk about pay to correct.
Correct inequity. Correct expectations. Correct the lies we were sold about “being grateful just to be here.”

Want Equity? Start With Honesty

You can’t close a gap you won’t name.
You can’t advocate for others if you don’t even know your own value.
You can’t “inspire change” while hiding your own numbers.

Transparency isn’t tacky. It’s powerful. It’s protective. It’s necessary.

Let’s stop whispering about compensation and start weaponizing it for justice, equity, and collective growth.

TL;DR:

Talk about pay. Out loud. With friends. With peers. With your people.
Because silence won’t get you paid but honesty just might.