Quick Hits
Streaming service Spotify is facing an equal pay suit after being accused of excluding women from networking trips and leaving male harassers unpunished. Fortune
- University of Denver’s College of Law was forced to pay up — around $2.66 million — after being accused of underpaying its workers by eight women law professors. C’mon guys, you literally TEACH the law. Ain’t no playing dumb on this one. The Gazette
Women are often criticized for letting themselves get passed up for opportunities due to our‘chronically low sense of self-confidence.’ If we lean in, like the men do, all our troubles will vanish, it’s said. But the numbers are painting the opposite picture. Turns out, women are just as confident in their abilities as men are. They do, however, toot their own horns less because there are negative consequences when they do — like being perceived as bossy or unfriendly. The Atlantic
Among other gender discrepancies within the field, women in tech hold only 47 cents for every man’s dollar of equity. Equity may not seem like a big deal, especially compared to normal equal pay, but when startups hit it big, owning equity in the company is what’s really going to make someone rich, and it’s wrong that women are missing out on that chance. And before you fellas even try it — it’s not just that there are more men than women in tech. Women make up 35 percent of equity-holding employees but altogether only hold 20 percent of employee equity. Bloomberg
Men’s health improves in countries with higher levels of gender equality, according to a new report from the World Health Organization. The study attributes part of the results to the fact that the behaviors that most negatively impact men’s health, like smoking, drinking, drug use, etc., are more prevalent in societies with toxically masculine cultures. Quartz
Hey, dudes! Wanna get paid more? The solution is far easier than you’d think — simply get married. According to new data from St. Louis Fed. married men are paid more than their unmarried counterparts, who usually don’t make much more than women. Unfortunately, the reverse is not true; there’s little difference in pay between married and unmarried women. Bloomberg
The U.S. Olympic Committee has voted to award Paralympic medal winners the same prize money as their Olympic medal winners counterparts. LA Times
Every state in the U.S. has money set aside to help victims of crimes get back on their feet after suffering the financial burdens that come with being attacked — think hospital bills, therapy, even funeral costs. But seven states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island, won’t help you if you have any previous convictions. The implications of these restrictions are significant, especially for victims of crimes like domestic abuse who may have no choice but to return to their abusers if they incur debt, and disproportionately affect black and brown communities. The Marshall Project
#MeToo Update
Another woman has come out against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh alleging sexual harassment. Deborah Ramirez, who attended Yale at the same time as Kavanaugh says he exposed himself to her at a party. It’s unclear how the Senate will handle the allegations of Ramirez and Christine Blasey Ford as it continues investigating the claims. The New Yorker
Bill Cosby will be sentenced today for his sexual assault of Andrea Constand, to whom he had been a mentor. In April, Cosby was convicted of drugging and assaulting Constand. At least seven women who have accused Cosby of sexual abuse were in the courtroom Monday to watch the sentencing. The New York Times
According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, as many as 50 percent of female medical students report experiencing sexual harassment. NEJM
Alright, here’s some good news, actually. The genealogy site GEDmatch has been able to connect a California man’s DNA to 12 previously unsolved counts of forcible sexual assault. R29
Around the World
Pop star and entrepreneur Rihanna (real name Robyn Fenty) has been appointed as an ambassador by her home country of Barbados. In her new role, Rihanna will promote education, tourism, and investment in the Caribbean country. BBC
A UK survey has found that only 25 percent of girls and women aged 7-21 describe themselves as “very happy,” down from 41 percent of respondents who said the same in 2009. Respondents cited pressure from school exams and social media as two of the top reasons for their unhappiness. The Guardian
- Around 100 of Stockholm’s most popular brands have announced support for gender equality through the A Woman’s Place initiative. The Local
