The Fem Word Vol. 36

curating stories of bold women in creative spaces.

weekly dose of female excellence ahead xx

FEM NEWS

Tetra Tech is looking towards the future for Afghani women’s empowerment. Over 18 years of study from the company shows that although Afghani women only make up 36% of the national workforce, female business owners have created 77,000 jobs. Afghani women have increasingly expressed interest in learning how to run their own businesses, and Tetra Tech wants to make a plan for women to continually enter the economy. Full Story

WoVeN (Women Veterans Network) is working to give female veterans a chance at life again when they’ve returned home. The group was co-founded by Tara Galovski in Boston as a way for women to connect with other veterans like themselves. WoVeN is on track to have groups in 90 cities across the U.S. by the end of this month. For some, this group has completely changed their social lives, one member stated that “it’s something you can’t buy [...] I can only get this from my sister veterans.” Full Story

If you’ve ever run a marathon, you know it’s not an easy task. What if you ran 80 kilometers (49 miles) backwards? Twinkle and Swati Thakar of Gujarat, India completed this almost superhuman task last week over the course of 28 hours. When asked about their accomplishment, Swati stated that they “did this to tell other women to realise their inner strengths and move forward.” Full Story

Husbands in Burkina Faso, a village in west Africa, are stepping up. With the help of The Husbands and Future Husbands School, they are taking responsibility for their role in women’s empowerment and working to take on their share of domestic burdens in their households. The lessons cover broad topics, covering the health needs and human rights of women and girls in their communities. Full Story

Forbes has just dropped its annual 400 list of the wealthiest Americans, and women make up a meager 14%. The list is further proof of the continued gender disparity in the economy, and begs the question: when are women going to reach parity with men when it comes to money? Full Story

A recent report from CNN showed that one third of Japanese women in the workforce identify workplace harassment as the source of their mental health issues. With Japan having such a male dominated society, this fact comes without shock. This issue, coupled with the overall harsh work environments throughout the entire country, have created a double bind for the working women of Japan. Full Study

FEM FUNDING

Melissa Gates has pledged $1 billion over the next decade to ensure women’s empowerment in the United States stays on track. Her goal is to see more women in positions of power, and seeing women shape the country’s future. When asked about her motivation behind this endeavor, her answer was simple. “The fact that we’re talking about these inequities is itself a sign of progress. Here’s what keeps me up at night: I imagine waking up one morning to find that the country has moved on.” Read More

FEM VOICES

An illuminating opinion piece in The Express Tribune recently discussed the work that still must be done for women’s empowerment in Pakistan. Despite the multiple laws in place to ensure social equality for women, business and private sectors just aren’t putting in the work to make it happen. The article urges the private sectors of Pakistan to remedy this situation, and work towards gender equality in the country for the betterment of everyone. Full Story

WE’LL MISS YOU

RIP Diahann Carroll. In 1962, she testified at a congressional hearing and stood up to racial bias in the entertainment industry, saying “I’m living proof of the horror of discrimination.” You broke barriers, were a talented beauty, and will be missed. Full Story

SHE’S SO COOL

Ugbad Abdi is tired of not seeing hijabs as statements in the fashion industry. Aside from walking for some of the largest names in fashion, this 19 year old model is pushing for religious diversity in fashion, and making a name for herself while she’s at it. Abdi is the first model to wear a hijab for Fendi and Lanvin fashion shows. Learn More

FEM SPORTS

- The gymnasts for the 2019 U.S. Women’s World Championships Team was announced last week. They Championship takes place in Stuttgart, Germany. The gymnasts chosen are, Simone Biles of Spring, Texas; Jade Carey of Phoenix, Arizona; Kara Eaker of Grain Valley, Montana; Sunisa Lee of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Grace McCallum of Isanti, Minnesota. 

FEM EVENTS

Shesaid.so is partnering with the 2019 Women in Music Awards this year. The event will take place on November 8 in London. Shesaid.so is a global network of women in the music industry, and is also known for creating a survey with InChorus Group to allow women in the industry to anonymously report sexual harassment in the workplace. More Information

FEMTERTAINMENT

“How fun it can be to watch an actor of this caliber swing for the fences.” A mixed review in Vanity Fair of Natalie Portman’s latest film, Lucy in the Sky (no, it’s not about the Beatles!), applauds Portman’s talent for taking on odd projects and knocking them out of the park. In opposition to the praise for Portman, the review calls the movie itself a bit drawn out and heavy. Personally, we here at the Fem Word can’t wait to see Portman play Thor! Full Review