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Dear friends,
Today marks the International Day of the Girl and National Coming Out Day, giving us an opportunity to honor the organizations working on the frontlines to fight for equality, and to celebrate the brave individuals who have fought to make the world or their communities more inclusive.
With the state of the world today, though, we should really treat every day like International Day of the Girl and National Coming Out Day. While these milestones launched 8 and 31 years ago, respectively, rights for women, girls and the LGBTQ community are nowhere near guaranteed, and in fact getting worse in some regions of the world (and in a sense, here in the U.S. too: see the Supreme Court updates below).
Today, we have so much to celebrate, including: those who are gay, transgender, gender non-conforming, queer (both out and not), the allies who support and champion equity for all, and the young girls around the world who are unscripted and unstoppable. But we also have a lot of work to do.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,
Susan
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ON OUR MINDS
Brought to you by McPherson Strategies Managing Partner and one of GO Magazine’s 100 Women We Love, Kasia Reterska.
(No more) Porpoises and dolphins and whales, oh my!
Starting in 2020, TripAdvisor will no longer feature any attractions (think aquariums, theme parks, SeaWorld) that import, capture or breed porpoises, dolphins or whales. The announcement comes as an expansion to the company’s animal welfare policy, launched in 2016 to promote change in the way wild animals are treated within the tourism industry. This latest decision is a result of ongoing conversations with animal rights experts and growing customer concern for animal welfare. According to company data, more than 80% of their customers believe animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity to entertain us. This is a great example of companies leveraging their core products to advance change on issues their customers care about.
The Supreme Court is back in session, with essential rights at stake.
The Supreme Court heard arguments this week about a set of cases involving the rights of gay and transgender employees. The essential question at hand is whether a landmark 1964 civil rights law applies to the millions of LGBTQ+ employees across this country. Also on the docket for this year: June Medical Services v. Gee, a Louisiana case that would severely restrict access to abortion. It’s effectively the same as a Texas law that was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016 — meaning this case will be a test of how the new Court will rule on abortion rights. Both of these cases have implications for businesses that value diversity, inclusion and equality, and we predict that CEO voices will be increasingly prominent as the cases unfold.
Notorious RB(arbie)G
Go, Mattel! Following last month’s launch of a new line of gender-neutral dolls, the toy company just announced the 2019 Career of the Year Barbie: Barbie Judge Doll. As Mattel shared on Twitter, "The Barbie Judge Doll encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better.” The company chose a judge as its Career of the Year doll after learning that only a third of sitting U.S. state judges are women. The jurist doll is available in a variety of different hairstyles and skin tones and comes with a customary black robe and a lacy collar à la Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Representation matters, and we urge companies to continually reimagine their products and messages to help contribute to a more inclusive future.
ON OUR RADAR
Follow:
In honor of #DayOfTheGirl, follow some of the top organizations working in this space:
Read:
Cheer:
- Land O’Lakes’ CEO Beth Ford, the first openly gay woman to run a Fortune 500 company, makes Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list for the second consecutive year. Bravo, Beth!
- Melinda Gates announced a $1 billion investment in gender equality in the United States. Read why in her TIME Magazine op-ed.
Watch:
- In honor of International Day of the Girl, nonprofit She’s The First introduced the Global Girls’ Bill of Rights, a declaration of the rights all girls are entitled to, written by girls, for girls. Watch our friend, founder Tammy Tibbets, talk to Cheddar about this important document.
Subscribe:
- LGBTQ Nation: The newsletter provides daily updates and breaking news from the most followed LGBTQ news source.
- NBC News Know Your Value: Mika Brzezinski’s newsletter helps women grow their career, form healthy habits and reach their full potential.
Apply:
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