Whitney Young, a former morning radio show host, announced on social media Thursday that she was leaving WPXY-FM radio, citing an equal pay dispute.

Young, who teamed with Corey James from 5:30 to 10 a.m. weekdays to host #TeamPXY, said, "I choose to leave my position as morning show host, because my male co-host's salary was nearly double my own, and I was unable to negotiate a raise that would reduce the pay disparity."

She continued, "This inequality is in conflict with my most deeply held beliefs."

Young co-hosted the show with James on 97.9 WPXY for the past year. She cited other examples of pay inequality in her statement, including Hoda Kotb, who was brought in to replace Matt Lauer on NBC's Today Show for what Page Six reported was about $18 million less annually.

Young reiterated that she has "no bad blood with my co-host. He's a good friend, a talented showman, a dependable colleague, and fully deserving of his salary. I do not believe he was overpaid, but rather that I was underpaid. We had fun doing the show, and I will miss that."

Young said she has no job lined up at this point and added that walking away from a "stable paycheck is risky at best and stupid at worst. But for me, it was necessary."

Her biography has already been removed from the PXY website.

Young previously hosted the midday show. She took over co-hosting duties on the morning show in May 2018 after Megan Carter left the station

WPXY is owned by Entercom Communications. Entercom also owns WBZA-FM (98.9 The Buzz), WCMF-FM (96.5), WBEE-FM (92.5), and WROC-AM (ESPN Rochester radio).

"We are disappointed that Whitney has decided to leave," the station said in a prepared statement. "While we will not comment further on the specifics of this situation, we do believe that our compensation practices are fair."

Young's departure comes at the same time a conversation is stirring nationally about the gender pay disparity.

U.S. National Women's Soccer Team captain Megan Rapinoe, whose team earned its second consecutive World Cup title last weekend, has brought the issue to the forefront.

"Everyone is kind of asking what’s next and what we want to come of all this," Rapinoe said, according to The Associated Press. "It’s to stop having the conversation about equal pay, are we worth it, the investment piece. ... It’s time to kind of sit down with everyone and really get to work."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law Wednesday to create pay equity in New York hours before the soccer team appeared in a parade in New York City.

The state Legislature passed two bills last month that the Democratic governor signed Monday, which came as the soccer players have been vocal about being paid equal to the men's team.

"New York will continue to lead the way forward and stand in solidarity with women and girls in every corner of this state," Cuomo said in a statement. "By signing this legislation, we are not only doing the right thing, we are also doing the moral thing and equal pay for equal work is now the law in the state of New York."

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com

Includes reporting by Joseph Spector, the USA TODAY Network's Albany Bureau chief.