Women's News Wrap

How does climate change impact women? Plus, the cost of unpaid labor, a golf record, and more.

Author

Riley Williams
April 23, 2024

Good morning! A quick reminder that you can get a fun “Women are on the rise” sticker set for free by referring just one person to this newsletter. Grab your unique referral link at the bottom of this email to start sharing.

Here’s what’s on the rise today:

Business and Tech

  • A new report found that stay-at-home parents (of whom 82% are women) do the equivalent of $4,000-$5,200 worth of unpaid work per month, which adds up to roughly $1 million over the 20 years it takes to raise two children in the U.S.

  • The House passed a foreign aid bill that includes a TikTok ban, and the bundling makes the legislation more likely to survive The Senate and President Biden’s desk. 

    • As TikTok and its users process the implications of the potential ban, an unexpected consequence has emerged—women in abortion-restricted states often turn to the platform for information, a resource that would go away if the bill succeeds.

  • A new group of entrepreneurs, the self-named “Gundo Bros,” have convened in the area surrounding the LAX airport to start American hardware and software companies. The founders, many of whom are building defense technology, are known to shotgun energy drinks, lift weights, host bonfires, and tout that “America is back” and “dudes rock.”

    • Major investors like Andreessen Horowitz are flocking to the Gundo Bros, but some commentators have called out the group’s obvious gender disparity. Women are largely absent, and the “Gundo Bros” moniker itself implies exclusion.

  • Teen girls have inspired lawmakers to pursue legislation that would fight the ever-growing prevalence of AI-generated nude images.

Politics

  • Donald Trump’s hush money trial is officially underway after opening arguments yesterday.

    • Journalist Laura Coates grabbed national attention for her coverage of the man who set himself on fire outside the courthouse last week. Many praised the former lawyer’s calm demeanor, while others questioned her decision to show such graphic footage on live television.

  • San Francisco Mayor London Breed secured an agreement with China to bring giant pandas to the city’s zoo. She hopes their arrival will boost SF’s economy and drive support for her re-election.

Yesterday was Earth Day, a great reason to learn more about the intersection of gender and climate change. Let’s dive in:

The bad news? Women and girls are exposed to unique climate-related risks, particularly in developing countries:

  • Because of their roles as caregivers, women take on greater labor burdens as the climate crisis causes resource scarcity. Women responsible for feeding households must travel farther to find food and water, and girls are more likely to drop out of school to provide extra labor at home.

  • Women and children are 14x more likely than men to die in natural disasters because they often don’t have equal access to the resources that allow for preparation, and women with children don’t have easy mobility to flee before disaster strikes. Gender-based violence also increases in times of disaster or conflict.

  • Women are more exposed to climate-related health risks. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable—a warming climate spurs illnesses like Zika virus and pregnancy complications like stillbirths, disproportionately impacting maternal and neonatal health.

The good news? Women make great climate warriors.

  • Studies show that countries with higher proportions of female leadership are more likely to enact pro-environmental measures like protected areas and stricter climate change policies.

  • Similarly, companies with more female executives perform better in terms of environmental impact.

  • Women are generally more environmentally friendly than men and have smaller carbon footprints.

The solution? Get more women involved. Environmental organizations are heavily male-dominated, and bringing women to the table helps ensure their unique needs (and skills!) are taken into account.

Sports

  • Golfer Nelly Korda scored her fifth-straight LPGA Tour win, tying for the most consecutive victories ever. Korda hopes to bring attention to women’s golf as interest in other sports like the WNBA continues to rise. 

  • Speaking of—last week’s WNBA draft highlighted the financial challenges of women’s sports. The low starting salaries of players like Caitlin Clark are a symptom of the league’s struggle to generate strong revenue and achieve profitability, but some hope the tide is turning.

Culture

  • Taylor Swift’s new album smashed streaming records, becoming the first ever to reach 300 million Spotify streams in one day.

  • Meghan Markle will host a new cooking show on Netflix, part of her venture into food influencing along with her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

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