Happy friday! Here’s your weekly round-up of feminist successes:
#TheGapTable calls attention to the wage gap in Silicon Valley
#Angels, an all-woman investing collective that includes Twitter veterans Katie Jacobs Stanton, Jessica Verrilli, and Vijaya Gadde, among others, is launching a new initiative, #TheGapTable. The movement aims to call attention to the paucity of women and underrepresented minorities in startups’ cap tables (the documents that record who owns shares in a company and how many). Why is that so important? Because “the cap table holds the roadmap to wealth and power in Silicon Valley.”
“If we want to foster an inclusive and equitable industry, women and URMs need to be included in the wealth creation of successful companies,” the new movement states.
Pregnancy Discrimination Act turns 40
The conversation around women’s rights at work has been hyper-focused on harassment lately with the press around the #MeToo and #Timesup movements, but this year also represents a very significant anniversary for women in the workplace. 2018 markes the 40th year since the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Gillian Thomas, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, comments on the history behind the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and what’s happened with workplace discrimination protection for pregnant workers over the past 40 years.
30 feminist movies you need to see
Since March is Women’s History Month, it’s the perfect time to hit play on any one of these amazing films made for, by, or about women. Harper’s Bazaar has compiled a list of the must-watch feminist films you should definitely check out this month. We know what we’re doing this weekend!
#MeToo continues to spread through industries, arriving on Wall Street
The #MeToo movement has made its way to Wall Street – and is forcing it to address its history, practices, and culture. While some have pointed to the confidentiality agreements signed by employees of big banks, Vanity Fair‘s Bethany McLean has a different hypothesis: it’s about money. In the words of one former banker, “For many senior women there is way too much on the table.” Culture in the industry also plays a role in the perpetuation of silence. “When you are rewarded for toughness there’s a big disincentive … to come forward with a story that would put a dent into your armor,” writes another Wall Street woman in an email. “That over time becomes identity.” While the industry is getting a late start in the movement, it’s critical that more and more women finally feel empowered to speak out – especially in fields dominated by men – and are opting for #MeToo over money.
Gap Normalizes Breastfeeding With New Ad
Gap wants moms to know that their clothes are comfortable enough for any task: including breastfeeding. Their new ad, posted to social media, shows a mother nursing her baby, wearing a v-neck sleep shirt from the new Love by GapBody line, which a spokesperson from Gap says is designed for maximum comfort and confidence. “We aim for the marketing around Love by GapBody to encourage and empower all women to be the woman they want to be as a friend, partner, wife, mother and voice in today’s society,” Gap told People. Several commenters also pointed out how great it is to see a Black woman breastfeeding, considering the stigma around nursing for Black mothers.
20 must-know Black women
Refinery29 has put together a most excellent package of 20 Black women you need to know, including actors, athletes, artists, wellness experts, and other influencers. As the R29 editors — who intentionally did not publish this package during Black History Month — note, these are not just women who are having a “moment.” They write: “This is us, and this will always be us. We’re not going anywhere.” Read the entire list of inspiring women here.
I am proud to present #BlackIsTheNewBlack, a celebration of 20 inspiring Black women, written by @Refinery29‘s Black writers. This is our reminder that Black women aren’t a “moment,” or a trend — we are here, and we’ve BEEN here. https://t.co/EZC83NW27U
— Arianna Davis (@ariannagdavis) March 1, 2018
The featured image for this Feminist Wins blog post is a derivative; original poster by Paramount Pictures.