The Fem Word Vol. 53

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CURATING STORIES OF BOLD WOMEN IN CREATIVE SPACES.

weekly dose of female excellence ahead xx

IRAN/PERSIA

Women in ancient Persia (now modern day Iran) had more freedom than the women of ancient Egypt. Since Persia relied primarily on oral culture, much of this has been forgotten...unless you know where to look. Thanks to many historians, we can now learn about some of the greatest women of ancient Persia. Check out the list here.

NIGERIA

The women of Nigeria have traded their #MeToo marches for boxing classes. They plan on fighting. In a culture where women are often the victims of assault, knowing self defense could save lives. The classes are monthly, and led by coach Rehia Giwa-Osagie, who runs a local gym.  Learn More

UNITED KINGDOM

Mo O’Brien of Cornwall rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, successfully winning first place in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Oh...and she’s sixty and deaf. O’Brien worked with her daughter Bird and their friend Claire Allinson. When asked what her next plans were, O’Brien stated she plans to row across the Pacific Ocean. Learn More

USA

  • Gwen Ifill was memorialized as the 43rd Black Heritage forever stamp series last week. Ifill was a trailblazer in journalism, making strides for women of color to follow. Ifill died at the age of 61 in 2016 after a long battle with cancer. She often stated that she didn’t want to be a big deal, and she was eager for the days when it wouldn’t seem like “any breakthrough at all” for a black woman to anchor the news. Learn More

  • NPR recently covered a glaring issue in the world of fine arts...the lack of women. Overall, museums fail time and time again to feature women’s art as much as men’s. In fact, female artists are almost impossible to find in most art museums. NPR asks why that is, and what needs to happen to eradicate gender bias in the arts. Learn More

  • Mattel is increasing the diversity of Barbie dolls yet again, this time releasing hairless dolls, and dolls with vitiligo. The brand has been continuously pushing for more representation in this timeless toy series, having already released Barbies in wheelchairs, prosthetics, and hijabs. Learn More

FEM EVENTS

Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia took her passion for women’s empowerment to a different sphere recently: dinner. In a new series, titled F.E.D (Female Empowerment Dinner), icons from the fashion industry all gathered for an intimate meal to discuss what it means to have women in the industry. Learn More



STEM

  • Olay’s #MakeSpaceForWomen ad caused a stir...as it meant to. The commercial premiered during the Super Bowl, and featured retired astronaut Nicole Stott alongside actresses Lilly Singh, Busy Phillips, and Taraji B. Henson. Katie Couric also made an appearance. This all-women commercial aimed to highlight women in STEM as well as target female fans of the Super Bowl. Learn More

  • Women are increasingly entering STEM fields, and the gender gap is slowly closing. While still considered a male-dominated field, women are proving that they can be just as good, if not better, at math and science. For a little inspiration today, check out CNN’s list of ten women scientists that you should know. Full List

SUPERBOWL

JLo and Shakira’s halftime show was more than a performance, it was a message. The show was full of powerful imagery that centered around one theme: pride. Pride in your heritage, refusal to back down from who you are, and fighting against those who would keep you down. Learn More

IN MEMORIAM

Leila Janah, CEO of Samasource, died last week at the age of 37. Janah was known throughout the business world for her tireless efforts creating opportunities for the world’s poorest people. Samasource is known for helping over 50,000 people out of poverty in West Africa. Janah’s fervor to help those in need will be sorely missed. Learn More

Ms. Media