The Fem Word Vol. 37

curating stories of bold women in creative spaces.

weekly dose of female excellence ahead xx

FEMWORLD:

International Girls in Aviation Day did not go unnoticed for Delta, who ran an all female flight (both crew and passengers) to NASA in order to get girls excited about aviation. All of the girls came from STEM schools, and were able to see women run every aspect of their flight. Here’s to seeing these girls take flight, in the present and future. Full Story

WOMEN DOING GREAT THINGS:

Liliana Furio looked at the legacy of tango in Argentina and decided it needed more righteous feminine fury. Traditionally, tango has been tightly controlled by men and their movements, but Ms. Furio’s new take, La Furiosa, is making the tango a true dance between equal partners. Oh, and La Furiosa means the livid woman. Full Story

That’s one small step for women, one giant leap for womenkind! NASA is finally putting on the all women space walk (you know, that one that was supposed to happen in March, and got cancelled because NASA didn’t have the correct size for the space suit) on October 21st. Astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will be taking part in the historic walk. Full Story

In 2018, the Annenberg Inclusion study found that a mere 3.8% of the top 100 grossing films were directed by women. This was almost 4 percent less than the year before. This year, we’ve seen a major rise, and founder Stacy Smith believes that this trend is only growing. Move over male directors, women are telling their own stories now. Read More

With the rise of “femtech” (technological devices and apps designed for women) in the technology sector, some are beginning to wonder if the label will lead to unnecessary pigeonholing for these products down the line. Others claim that the term has been able to make a sector that male investors feel comfortable investing in. A recent BBC News article asks, what’s the future of femtech? Full Story

In a wonderfully articulate interview from The Cut, Michelle Phan discusses why she left YouTube without a trace in 2015. Credited for inventing the “beauty guru” genre of YouTube and the creator of Ipsy and Em Cosmetics, her disappearance was confusing to many. Phan cited her own health and well-being as the cause, saying that “somewhere along the journey, I lost myself.” Now, Phan is still creating and a presence on the internet...but on her time. Full Interview

Khemjira Klongsanun gets the job done. While running a marathon last week, she spotted a stray puppy on the side of the trail only seven miles in. With 19 miles to go, Klongsanun picked up the puppy and completed the marathon with the stray under her arm. The puppy is now named Nom Chom, and lives happily with his rescuer. Full Story

Simone Biles has done it again! Further proving she is a queen above all the rest, Biles is now the most decorated Olympic gymnast in world history. Not the best female gymnast, no no. The BEST gymnast. Period. She’s also the first American to medal in every event at worlds, AND she did this all while dealing with kidney stones. Guys, try to catch up? Full Story

Project Manos que Salvan Vidas (Hands that Save Lives) in Colombia are taking breast cancer screenings seriously. Early detection saves lives, and the project uses the heightened touch sensitivity of blind women to help aid in finding lumps early. Blind and visually impaired women undergo training in order to identify problematic areas during this additional screening process, offered to women who are under 50 and otherwise aren’t receiving mammograms. Full Story

Iranian women attended their first soccer match last week, after four decades of not being allowed to buy tickets. This is a major step forward in Iran’s women’s rights movement. “People were crying with excitement,” one female Iranian teacher said. Read More

Conscious bias towards age is still a thing in the US. According to a study from Fairygodboss, a career community for women, a third of American experience ageism before they turn 45. Forbes offers ideas to combat ageism. Read More

GIRLS ARE RISING:

 A collaboration between HP and Girl Rising is working to bring technology and education to 10 million students in the U.S., India, and Nigeria. The program will take place over three years, and works to combat the lack of access to education that over 130 million girls around the world face. Full Story

IN DOLLY NEWS: 

“If I’m not a good example of a woman in power, I don’t know who is.” Truer words have never been spoken by Dolly Parton. In an interview with Parade, Dolly got into the #MeToo movement, 9 to 5, and women’s empowerment today. She credited strong women in her upbringing for her own captivating personality and take-no-crap attitude, and is excited for a reality in which women are standing up more. Read More

Dollywood has set the bar for theme parks everywhere, introducing a calming room for kids with autism and other sensory issues. So far, it is the only theme park in the world to do so. Families and kids with sensory issues everywhere can breathe easy when they’re in Dollywood, and this step towards inclusion should make all other parks take note. Full Story

SHE’S SO COOL

Age is no barrier for 73-year-old Bobbe Greenberg, who recently competed in an Ironman triathlon. At 50 years old, this super athlete learned to swim, proving it’s never too late to learn something new! Full Story

FEMPRENEUR

Arielle Clark is black, queer, and sober. She’s tired of looking for a place to hang out with others like her in her town of Louisville, so she’s making a space herself. Sis Got Tea, Clark’s tea business, is on its way to becoming a brick and mortar location. The shop will serve as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, the black community, and the sober community. Clark stated that she wants “to create a safe space not just for black LGBTQ but for sober people as well…I am really pushing that people are welcome in all identities, as long as they respect the space.” Learn More 

IN OTHER NEWS

Supermajority recently took a bus around the U.S. to find out what women had to say about gender equality. They found that women are increasingly feeling the effects of gender inequality, especially economically, with 28% of American women working two or more jobs just to stay afloat. Despite the challenges, American women are eager to fix the gap, now more than ever. Full Story

FEMTERTAINMENT

Drew Barrymore is broadening her resume! She will be the host of a new talk show on CBS, set to air in the fall of next year. The network is excited for the addition, stating that “Drew is a huge star and a breath of fresh air.” We couldn’t agree more. Now, excuse us while we write a reminder in our calendars. 

The fashion label Boden recently released a collection of coats, all inspired by strong women throughout British history. Inspiration was drawn from Jane Austen and the Celtic queen Boudica, among others. The collection includes thirty stylish pieces that will awaken the boss in all of us. Full Story

“Instead of suspending and expelling or saying ‘What’s wrong with you?’ we say. ‘What happened to you?’” Strong words from California’s first Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. Burke Harris is dedicating her career to helping children with trauma, and she is urging schools to screen for childhood trauma before children enter school. Read More

FEM PERSONAL 

A beautifully heartwarming piece from Barbados Today, penned by the President of the National Organisation of Women Marsha Hinds, gave some advice to all the girls of Barbados. Hinds urged the girls to read, do the things they love, never choose silence, and love yourself. Hinds wrote that she wanted to “say a few things to my younger sisters - perhaps in a way no one took the time to say them to me.” Full Article

FEM EVENTS

If you’re in the Annapolis, Maryland area on October 26th, go check out their Women’s Empowerment and Self-Defense Seminar! The three hour workshop is for any experience level, and will work to make attendees more aware of themselves and how to stay safe in their daily lives. Tickets Here