Weekly News Wrap

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In other news, here’s what’s on the rise this week:

Business and Tech

• A new investigation found that Coke and Pepsi source sugar from producers that exploit women laborers. In the west Indian state of Maharashtra, it’s common practice for young female sugar cutters to get hysterectomies to avoid missing work for doctor’s visits or menstruating in fields with no access to toilets or running water.

• Boeing executive Stephanie Pope will take over as CEO of its commercial airlines division. The announcement was part of a major leadership shakeup, including the resignation of CEO Dave Calhoun at the end of the year. 

• The direct-to-consumer industry is booming as brands like Warby Parker, Glossier, and Allbirds bypass the traditional wholesale model and sell straight to their end customers.  But insiders say the industry is like a fraternity, with women left out at networking events and struggling to engage with hustle culture.

Politics

• Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard arguments over whether to restrict access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs typically used for medication abortions. It’s the court's first major abortion issue since reversing Roe v. Wade.

• Vice President Kamala Harris visited the site of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, where she announced a new office that will help states implement red-flag gun laws. 

• New proposed legislation in Missouri would allow doulas to be reimbursed through insurance. Today, many doulas in the state provide their service for free to pregnant women who could not otherwise afford it.

• GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski said in an interview that she won’t support Donald Trump for re-election, and did not rule out leaving the Republican Party altogether.

Economy

• The Labor Department could soon start tracking unpaid household labor like childcare and laundry – tasks that are commonly considered “women’s work.” The shift would be significant for better understanding the gender pay gap, Americans' real cost of living, and women’s low participation in the labor market.

• New research found that climate change is already causing food inflation and could continue driving food prices up by as much as three percentage points per year. Here’s why food inflation tends to have a disproportionate impact on women.

• Want to boost your home value? According to new research from Zillow, building a “she-shed” could help raise a house sale price by 2%.

Sports

• Viewership ratings for the first weekend of Women’s March Madness increased 60% compared to 2023, the latest sign that the women’s tournament is generating more hype than ever.

• Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, an extreme race in which runners must traverse 100 miles of rough terrain in less than 60 hours.  

• LSU basketball coach Kim Mulkey threatened to sue The Washington Post over a forthcoming article about her that she described as a “hit piece.”

Further Reading