Tory Burch Asks Forbes Summit Why The Debate Around Equal Pay For Women Continues

Tory Burch Asks Forbes Summit Why The Debate Around Equal Pay For Women Continues

Forbes considers Tory Burch to be one of America’s richest self-made women, estimating her net worth at $850 million. Judged today by her competence, strategic thinking and brand positioning, Tory Burch, who previously worked at Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang, says that when she launched her lifestyle brand in 2004, she wan’t taken very seriously.

Burch joined ultimate equal-pay activist Lilly Ledbetter to discuss the impact of the gender pay gap in a Forbes Women’s Summit discussion moderated by Cosmopolitan editor Jessica Pels. Ledbetter is known as the Alabama area manager at a Goodyear plant who learned through an anonymous note that she was paid 35%-40% less than men in her same position.

Ledbetter’s case wound its way through the US court system, until the Supreme Court in 2007 overturned a $3 million verdict in her favor, ruling that pay discrimination lawsuits must filed within 180 days of her first unequal paycheck. President Obama effectively nullified the court’s decision in 2009, making the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first new law of his administration. Obama stipulated that the statute of limitations for filing equal-pay lawsuits based on pay discrimination resets with each new paycheck that is part of the discriminatory act.

Ethiopia's Woman President Sahle-Work Zewde Joins Progressive PM Abiy Ahmed To Level Gender Playing Field

Ethiopia's Woman President Sahle-Work Zewde Joins Progressive PM Abiy Ahmed To Level Gender Playing Field

By Yohannes Gedamu, Lecturer of Political Science, Georgia Gwinnett College; originally published on The Conversation Africa

Since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took over from Hailemariam Desalegn in April 2018, Ethiopia has experienced a rapid pace of political reforms. So far, save for the unfortunate incidents of ethnic violenceacross the country, the changes made by the new administration have been nothing short of breathtaking.

Under Abiy’s leadership, a historic peace deal was reached with neighbouring Eritrea. At home, his administration has freed all political prisoners while also promising to reform some of the country’s harsh laws.

In addition, the new premier has also vowed to transform the country’s state-led economy by outlining a proposal for the partial privatisation of Ethiopia’s state enterprises. Privatisation would open up opportunities for competition, and raise funds for the country’s major development programs.

Most recently Abiy’s ongoing political reforms have included the recognition of Ethiopia’s female leaders. He has taken great strides to ensure that woman are represented in Ethiopia’s political landscape. The last four weeks in particular have seen spectacular breakthroughs. These ranged from cabinet appointments to women being chosen as president, chief justice and press secretary to the prime minister. All unprecedented – in Ethiopia as well as the continent more broadly.

Is BBC's Massive Pay Gap Between Wimbledon Pundits Martina Navratilova & John McEnroe Justified

Is BBC's Massive Pay Gap Between Wimbledon Pundits Martina Navratilova & John McEnroe Justified

Tennis champion Martina Navratilova, winner of nine Wimbledon Ladies' championship trophies shares her furor over discovering the full extent of BBC pay discrimination in an interview airing Monday night, writes The Guardian.  In an interview for Panorama: Britain's Equal Pay Scandal, Navratilova reveals her shock when she discovered that John McEnroe is paid 10 times as much as she is for covering Wimbledon for the BBC. 

Navratilova tells Panorama that she was paid about £15,000, while McEnroe's published salary revealed last summer is between £150,000 and £199,999. 

Navratilova said she was told she was getting paid a comparable amount to men doing the same job as her, adding: “We were not told the truth, that’s for sure.” “It’s still the good old boys’ network ... The bottom line is that male voices are valued more than women’s voices,” she said, adding that her agent will ask for more money in the future.

BBC Sport defended the discrepancy, saying McEnroe’s role was of “a different scale, scope and time commitment”, to Navratilova, adding: “They are simply not comparable.”

Oscar Winner Frances McDormand Gives Rousing Pro-Woman Speech, Calls For Inclusion Riders In Hollywood Contracts

Oscar Winner Frances McDormand Gives Rousing Pro-Woman Speech, Calls For Inclusion Riders In Hollywood Contracts

Frances McDormand was the big favorite to win the Oscar for Best Actress at Sunday's Academy Awards. As expected, McDormand won her trophy for her almighty performance in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.  The actress had already won a SAG, BAFTA and Golden Globe for her role as a mother who rents three billboards to call attention to her daughter's unsolved murder. Previously, McDormand won an Oscar in 1997 for her role as Marge Gunderson in 'Fargo'. 

It was clear the actress had additional prepared comments after thanking Three Billboards director Martin McDonagh, her sister, and then husband Joel Coen and their son Pedro.  "These two stalwart individuals were well raised by their feminist mothers," she said. "They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy."

I'm not sure any Oscar winner ever put her statue down on the floor before speaking further. Oscar got a quick pat on the head, as McDormand said she wanted to get some perspective on the situation. And then Frances went full-throttle into the strongest moment of her speech and of the evening.