Copart Inc. (2.4 stars) , the last company in the S&P 500 without a single woman on its board, finally got with the program, welcoming CyrusOne CFO Diane Morefield to its board of directors. At long last, the S&P 500 can officially say the all-male board is history! Bloomberg
How does a company that is unequivocally a product of its time adapt to a new generation with vastly different values from the one in which it thrived? Is it really as simple as a pivot away from the old and toward the new? This thought-provoking piece from Vox about Lean Cuisine’s quest to trade in its “diet culture” status for a spot in far more convoluted and popular “wellness industry” that reigns in 2019. Vox
After months of tension, negotiation and employee walkouts, BuzzFeed (3.6 stars) has agreed to recognize its employee union. Bloomberg
The meat industry has historically been male-dominated, but that’s beginning to change. In the past decade, 10,000 women have entered the retail field of meat and seafood markets. Their biggest challenge is finding female role models for training and support in the positions they hope to hold. This is the story of six women breaking barriers in the industry. HuffPost
Quick Hits
Sixty percent of sex workers will experience some form of violence while working, according to a 2014 study by the University of California, San Francisco and St. James Infirmary. That’s why the California State Legislature has passed a bill to offer immunity to sex workers who report being a victim of or a witness to crimes such as assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual battery. In a press release, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his intent to sign the bill into law, summing the purpose of the legislation up nicely: “No one is safer when sex workers are afraid to report crimes and acts of violence . Silence only helps the perpetrators of those crimes.” Refinery29
Women millionaires make more money than male millionaires, according to data from the IRS compiled by Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s evaluation found that women taxpayers who bring home at least $1 million earned an average of $2,506,220. Men who bring home at least $1 million earn slightly less on average, only about $2,477,680. Does that mean women are finally out-earning men? Uh, not quite. Women still make up less than 12 percent of the world’s billionaires. Bloomberg
By the hammer of Thor! The Marvel movie verse is getting some much needed updates. In 2021, Natalie Portman will reprise her role as Dr. Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder , but this time her character will take up Mjolnir for herself to become Mighty Thor. The movie will also see Tessa Thompson return as Valkyrie, with Thompson confirming that Valkyrie (now King of Asgard) will become the first openly LGBT+ character in the MCU. Screen Rant
Around the World
Ivory Coast: Meet “The Fighting Women” — a women’s community association in the city of Abidjan. Led by Mariam Coulibaly, the women organized to collect recyclable trash to earn money. Now The Fighting Women have partnered with a Colombian company to convert trash into plastic bricks to build schools across the West African country. NY Times
United Kingdom: During her last address as prime minister, Theresa May was asked by Jo Swinson, the first female leader of the Liberal Democrat party, what advice she would give to women dealing with men “who think they could do a better job, but are not prepared to do the actual work.” The question was presumably a dig at May’s successor, Boris Johnson, but May’s response has a universal ring to it. She said, “My advice to all women is actually be true to yourself. Persevere. Keep going. And be true to the vision that you are working for.” In other words, pay the haters no mind! Yahoo
South Korea: Women in South Korea are using the hashtag #NoMarriage to rebel against the country’s efforts to boost birth rates. Cities host matchmaking events, and in rural areas, single women are asked to complete applications about their appearance and background. Bloomberg
