For all those badasses trying to catch up on the headlines, here are a few highlights from the past week. As always, join in the conversation using #TheFemWord and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. #FemNews
1. This week, badass former First Lady of the United States and now author Michelle Obama returned to London’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson secondary school for girls, which she visited nine years before on “a day that shaped who I became as First Lady.”
Obama was in London to continue her Becoming book tour, but took the opportunity to visit the students who made an impact on her and speak about mentorship, dealing with imposter syndrome, and supporting each other.
And speaking of Becoming… it’s been nearly a month since Michelle Obama’s inspiring memoir hit the stands, and we still can’t get over how good it is. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy (if you haven’t already).
2. The world has learned of a successful live birth resulting from a uterine transplant from a deceased organ donor in Brazil. The 32-year-old mother was born without a uterus, but a transplant using a womb from a 45-year-old woman (who had passed away from a stroke and had delivered three children naturally during her life) led to the birth of a 6-pound baby girl on December 15, 2017.
This medical development could increase the pool of organ donors for transplants, opening up new possibilities for the more than one in 10 women of reproductive age who are affected by infertility worldwide.
3. A shocking report by The Guardian revealed allegations that players on Afghanistan’s national women’s soccer team suffered sexual and physical abuse by male coaches and officials from the Afghan soccer federation (AFF), including the organization’s president. FIFA, the world’s soccer governing body, has announced an investigation into the claims.
Former captain of the Afghanistan women's team Khalida Popal has investigated and spoken out about the widespread abuses and a culture of no consequences for perpetrators. Popal, who risked her life to play soccer in secret as a teenager when the Taliban controlled her country, currently lives in Denmark, where she fled in 2011 after receiving death threats. “I know my voice can change so many lives,” Popal told the BBC’s Jill McGivering, “I know my voice can change the system.”
4. Does no still mean no when it comes to a holiday classic? Cleveland radio station WDOK recently announced they would no longer play Frank Loesser’s 1944 song "Baby It’s Cold Outside" due to concerns about the lyrics and the question of consent. Despite charged reactions, the inevitable social media upheaval, and some insisting the song actually is feminist, other radio stations have followed suit by banning the song.
5. Start your weekend binging session now… On Wednesday, December 5, Amazon released the second season of its acclaimed series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The award-winning (eight Emmy Awards... EIGHT!) show is helmed by Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and stars Rachel Brosnahan as a woman trying to make it as a comic in 1950s New York. Bye, productivity...
6. Despite the progress of the #MeToo movement, life for women on Wall Street may be getting tougher. Bloomberg’s Gillian Tan and Katie Porzecanski report that the financial services industry appears to be doubling down on gender discrimination.
The “Pence Effect” (named for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who has stated he does not dine alone with any woman other than his wife) has taken hold as male executives avoid women for fear of being the target of a sexual harassment scandal.
With men dominating the top jobs in finance, the loss of male mentors can have devastating effects on a woman’s career. “There aren’t enough women in senior positions to bring along the next generation all by themselves,” Lisa Kaufman, chief executive officer of LaSalle Securities, told Bloomberg.
7. This past weekend, actress Priyanka Chopra married singer Nick Jonas during a lavish multi-day celebration in India that celebrated the merging of two cultures, captivated the internet, and stole our hearts.
A vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality, Chopra is known worldwide as both a Hollywood and Bollywood (India’s film industry) star and influencer. This boundary-smashing badass was named among the World’s Most Powerful Women for the second time in 2018 and is the first Indian woman to appear on the cover of Vogue (coming January 2019). Congrats to the happy couple!
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Maimah Karmo is a true badass. She escaped war in her native country of Liberia at age 15, survived breast cancer, and was held at gunpoint. Despite the many challenges she has faced, Maimah's life mission is to empower women to discover and manifest their 'soul purpose'.
Join Maimah and other badasses committed to living their best lives at the Manifest conference on December 14, 2018, in Fairfax, Virginia. Register today with the code SPECIAL20 to receive a special TFW discount!
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