Wisdom of Women

The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is Give to Gain, emphasizing the importance of generosity and collaboration in advancing gender equality. In that spirit, we give you Wisdom of Women: candid reflections from Canadian women exploring how systemic bias continues to shape women’s earnings, and how transparency — and knowledge-sharing — can shift power.

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  1. Wisdom of Women cover 1
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  2. "I want to leave something behind when I go. I want it to be better because I was here."

    — Nellie McClung

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    The theme for International Women's Day 2026 is Give to Gain, emphasizing the importance of generosity and collaboration in advancing gender equality. In that spirit, we give you:

    WISDOM OF WOMEN

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  3. We didn't set out to write a book about the gender wage gap. Like many women, we believed we were entering a workforce that had already solved it. We worked hard. We raised our hands. We assumed merit would be enough. It wasn't.

    Nothing dramatic happened. No one announced, "You are being underpaid." The realization came the way it does for most women: slowly, subtly, and a little too late.

    The wage gap isn't a mystery and it isn't random. It's a system, reinforced by silence around salary, compounded promotions, biased assumptions, and the myth that effort alone guarantees equity. Most dangerously, it convinces women the problem is personal. This book is about making that system visible.

    The women in these pages represent different roles, industries, backgrounds, and career stages. Some sensed inequity early, while others discovered it after years of loyalty. Their stories are different, but the structure beneath them is not.

    Many women experience the wage gap in stages, so we intentionally structured this book to reflect that progression. Not as theory, but as lived experience.

    Stop the Party was founded on a simple belief: transparency is leverage. When women trade silence for information, information becomes power. And power, when shared, compounds.

    If you are early in your career, we hope this shortens your learning curve. Mid-career? We hope it sharpens your strategy. And if you're in leadership, we hope it changes how you build equity for the women who come after you.

    To the brilliant women we've had the privilege of working with, in our careers and on this project, thank you for your candour, vulnerability, and generosity. Your honesty is the backbone of this book. Thank you to our photographer, Nick Nikitaras, whose talent and enthusiasm brought these stories to life, and to Crystal Lee, whose art direction shaped these pages with clarity and care.

    The gap doesn't close when one woman negotiates her way out of it. It closes when it stops being a secret.

    — Erika Maginn & Ashleigh McEwan
    Founders, Stop the Party

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    WISE

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  4. WOMEN

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    Julia Ippolito
    Julia Ippolito
    Creative Director
    Sucheta Shankar
    Sucheta Shankar
    Creative Director
    Hilary Borndahl
    Hilary Borndahl
    Founder & CEO
    Katie Musgrave
    Katie Musgrave
    Client Lead
    Katie Rothschild
    Katie Rothschild
    VP Client Services
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  5. Erika Maginn
    Erika Maginn
    VP Strategy & STP Founder
    Kereesa Wright
    Kereesa Wright
    Associate Creative Director
    Ashleigh McEwan
    Ashleigh McEwan
    VP Accounts & STP Founder
    Ayushi Sah
    Ayushi Sah
    Marketing Manager
    Danielle Baker
    Danielle Baker
    Founder & Principal
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    "Well-behaved women seldom make history."

    — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

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  6. THE EQUITY ILLUSION

    Gender wage disparity hides in plain sight — in cultures where compensation conversations are taboo, merit is assumed to be rewarded, and women are told the system will work if they simply work hard enough.

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    "I learned early on that the system – and the world – was not designed to be equal. As a Black woman trying to get into the industry, I simply hoped my talent and reputation would help me navigate."

    — Kereesa

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  7. Kereesa Wright 13
    Katie Musgrave 14
  8. "Pay disparity was never discussed. In fact talking about it or comparing salaries was openly discouraged and considered taboo."

    — Katie

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    "I bought into the narrative that the gap exists because men demand what they want, so I adopted the 'male' playbook. I thought if I acted like the men in the room, I'd be paid like them. I didn't realize you can't out-negotiate a systemic bias."

    — Julia

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  9. Julia Ippolito 17
    "The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off."

    — Gloria Steinem

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  10. A BROKEN SYSTEM

    The gap isn't always loud or obvious. It's embedded in hiring assumptions, appraisal timing and processes, parental leave penalties, and the quiet compounding of early salary differences.

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    "I realized the wage gap was real when I started hearing the same themes repeatedly through research, conversations, and industry reporting. Even in environments where people were performing well, compensation didn't always match performance. I realized the issue was broader than any one company or person."

    — Danielle

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  11. Danielle Baker 21
    Ashleigh McEwan 22
  12. "I thought you had to accept the first offer that was given, and that it was fair. I didn't realize everything is negotiable."

    — Ashleigh

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    "I noticed what happened after I returned from maternity leave. Colleagues, in some cases men who had started around the same time, had overtaken me in title and compensation. It wasn't dramatic or confrontational, it was gradual."

    — Katie

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  13. Katie Rothschild 25
    "A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall."

    — Serena Williams

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  14. AWARENESS COMES AT A COST

    The cost of inequity isn't just financial. It shows up in debts unpaid, milestones postponed, retirement delayed, imposter syndrome amplified, and careers that move slower than they should.

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    "It was difficult not to internalize pay disparity or view it as a personal reflection of my value as a professional."

    — Sucheta

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  15. Sucheta Shankar 29
    Ayushi Sah 30
  16. "Because of the wage gap, I delayed paying off my student loans."

    — Ayushi

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    "What no one prepares you for when you challenge pay inequity is that it's possible to close the gap for yourself, but you can't drag every other woman across the finish line with you. You can win, but you might win alone."

    — Julia

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  17. Julia Ippolito 33
    "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."

    — Shirley Chisholm

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  18. CHANGING THE GAME

    When the rules aren't built for you, learning how they work becomes power. Negotiation, sponsorship, transparency, and data aren't personality traits — they're tools. And tools can be shared.

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    "I learned to become more comfortable with having direct conversations about career growth. Ambition is not something to apologize for."

    — Kereesa

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  19. Kereesa Wright 37
    "I began to negotiate like I was a business instead of an employee. It helped me elevate the conversation from loyalty and fairness to what I contribute to our clients' success and the company bottom line."

    — Erika

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  20. Erika Maginn 39
    "Standing up to correct wage gaps is a risky and thankless endeavour. For me the best thing to do was start my own company where we would ensure our compensation structure prevents gaps from the start."

    — Hilary

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  21. Hilary Borndahl 41
    "Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women."

    — Maya Angelou

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  22. WORD TO THE WISE

    When women share information – about salaries, promotions, mistakes, and momentum – individual wins become collective leverage, and knowledge becomes power.

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    Julia Ippolito
    Julia

    Julia "The wage gap is not a reflection of your worth — it's a business calculation. It means the company thinks they can get you for a discount. Don't let them."

    Ayushi "Find a place where you are supported and encouraged to be your best self instead of a place where you need to jump through hoops to overcome people's biases."

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  23. Katie Musgrave
    Katie

    Sucheta "Pay inequity is likely to affect you at some point. But awareness changes outcomes: the more informed you are, the better positioned you are to address it."

    Katie "Learn and practice negotiation skills early. They impact your salary and so much more. It's a skill that should be encouraged and celebrated in women."

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    Hilary Borndahl
    Hilary
    Danielle Baker
    Danielle

    Hilary "You are the driver of your career and need to be your own biggest cheerleader. Establish a strong sponsorship circle to advocate on your behalf."

    Danielle "One of the most powerful shifts in my life came when I stopped asking, 'Am I ready?' and started asking, 'Am I willing?' Ready is a moving target. Willing is a decision."

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  24. Kereesa Wright
    Kereesa
    Katie Rothschild
    Katie

    Kereesa "Do not let where you started define how far you are allowed to go. Believe in your value and don't be afraid to outgrow a place that has stopped growing you."

    Katie "Experience has shown me that asking for clarity and fairness isn't aggressive, it's responsible. Today, I advocate for myself with more confidence and less apology."

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    Ashleigh McEwan
    Ashleigh
    Erika Maginn
    Erika

    Ashleigh "Advocate for yourself. Make sure your voice is heard, and come to every remuneration conversation prepared with research and data."

    Erika "The wage gap won't go away without women educating and advocating for themselves and others. There are good companies and good allies out there, but we have to do a lot of the heavy lifting ourselves. The good news is: we're up for it."

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  25. WISDOM OF WOMEN

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    On average, women in Canada earn 87 cents for every dollar earned by a man, and the gap is even wider for Black, Indigenous, and women of colour. Globally, the gender wage gap is 23%.

    Why "Stop the Party"?

    Stop the Party (STP) is a Canadian advocacy group raising awareness about pay inequity and pushing for systemic change. Through campaigns, educational resources, practical tools and public engagement, our goal is to help make wage equity not just an idea, but a reality. Visit stoptheparty.ca to learn more, access resources, and join the movement.

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  26. "A word after a word after a word is power."

    — Margaret Atwood

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Who We Are

Stop the Party (STP) is a Canadian advocacy group raising awareness about the gender wage gap and pushing for systemic change. Through creative campaigns, educational resources, and public engagement, we aim to make wage equity not just an idea, but a reality.

Why We Exist

Women in Canada still earn, on average, 89 cents for every dollar earned by men — and the gap is wider for women of colour, Indigenous women, and newcomers. Wage inequality affects not just paycheques, but retirement savings, health, and economic security.

Meet the Founders

Stop the Party was founded by women determined to turn frustration into action. We believe in using creativity, boldness, and humour to shine a light on inequality and demand better.

Resources to Understand and Act

Awareness is the first step toward change. We've created free, shareable resources designed to spark conversation, educate, and drive action around the gender wage gap. Download, share, and put them to work in your own circles.

Game of Life is rigged.

Want to know what the "Game of Life" would be like if it reflected real-life gender pay disparity? Download the rules and additional playing cards and use this as an educational tool to help older children, tweens and teens understand the reality of the wage gap, so they grow up informed and can advocate for themselves when they enter the workforce.

Stop the Party x Fierce Mamas

Get in the mood with some Valentine’s Day cards that really hit you in the … pay cheque. Download this collab set of cards and start a much needed conversation this February 14th!

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

What is the gender wage gap?

The difference in average earnings between men and women. In Canada in 2024, women make on average 11% less than men overall.

Why “Stop the Party”?

While women’s achievements are absolutely worth celebrating, the lack of progress in achieving equal pay is not. So we commemorate International Women’s Day each year – not by toasting the women in the office with pink cupcakes and champagne – but with education, tools and advocacy that can make a meaningful difference in closing the wage gap.

Is the gender wage gap the same for all women?

No. While it exists for women of every age and race, it is more pronounced for Indigenous, racialized and newcomer women.

What can I do to Stop the Party?

Glad you asked! You can help by sharing resources, talking about the issue, advocating for yourself and supporting equal pay policies. You can also join the Stop the Party team.

Want to Stop the Party?

Whether you want to volunteer, collaborate, or bring STP to your community, we’d love to connect. Drop us an email at info.stoptheparty@gmail.com