Women's News: Progress and barriers in corporate America

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Here’s what’s on the rise as we close out the week:

Spotlight

The latest Women in the Workplace report, published by Lean in and McKinsey, reveals both progress and persistent barriers for women in corporate America. 

• Women's representation in leadership roles has improved:

  • 29% of C-suite roles are now held by women, up from 17% in 2015. 

  • 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women, compared to 5% in 2015.

• But at current rates of progress, it will take 22 years for white women and 50 years for women of color to reach gender equality in the workplace.

• A major factor is the "broken rung" phenomenon in which women are less likely to receive early career promotions, thereby hindering long-term advancement. Only 81 women overall and 54 women of color are promoted to manager for every 100 men.

• The study also found that companies have reduced diversity initiatives, including recruitment programs and bias training, potentially slowing future progress. Sheryl Sandberg, founder of Lean In, urged corporations not to ease up on efforts to advance women’s careers.

World

• Women’s soccer players in Mexico are attracting massive social media followings, breaking the mold for traditional female influencers in the country by displaying athleticism and strength.

• In Japan, women are preserving the ancient craft of “temari,” colorful embroidered balls that symbolize “elegant otherworldliness.” Creating one of these heirlooms is an intensive, months-long process.

U.S.

• The Black women who helped NASA land on the moon, depicted in the book and movie Hidden Figures, were honored on Wednesday with the Congressional Gold Medal.

• A new study found that, despite increased awareness since the #MeToo movement, rates of sexual violence in the U.S. have not decreased. 82% of American women report having experienced harassment or assault in their lives.

• Forbes interviewed Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm about her mission to allocate $110 billion for clean energy initiatives, the most ever funded by the U.S. government.

Business and Tech

• Contestants on an Amazon Prime show hosted by YouTuber MrBeast are suing him and the streaming service for a “culture of misogyny and sexism,” as well as unsafe production conditions.

• The Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studios, Jennifer Lee, is stepping down to focus on writing upcoming Frozen sequels.

• Also at Disney, CEO Bob Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, invested $250 million in a women’s soccer team, purchasing a controlling stake in the Los Angeles-based Angel City FC.

Election Watch

Healthcare

• Breast reductions are on the rise as a growing number of women seek relief from physical discomfort and societal expectations. 64% more American women have opted for the procedure since 2019.

• Senate Republicans blocked a bill to establish a nationwide right to IVF treatments. Democrats hope the move will underscore partisan differences over fertility issues ahead of the November election.

Sports

• The WNBA announced an expansion team in Portland, Oregon that will start playing in 2026. It’s the third expansion franchise planned over the next two years, joining Toronto and Golden State.

• Meanwhile, ESPN analyst Monica McNutt went viral when she countered two male commentators’ opinions about the WNBA. The incident reveals an ongoing struggle in sports media: how to talk about women’s games without perpetuating negative stereotypes or biases.

• Gymnast Jordan Chiles is one step closer to reclaiming her Olympic bronze medal—new audio evidence seemingly proves that her coach requested a score revision within the proper time frame.

Culture

• Convicted “fake heiress” Anna Sorokin, a.k.a. Anna Delvey, made her debut on “Dancing with the Stars,” bedazzled ankle monitor and all.

• The new Hulu docuseries about TikTok mom influencers, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” beat The Kardashians’ viewership numbers for its first three days of streaming.