Allyson Felix breaks Usain Bolt record after giving birth
Just 10 months after undergoing an emergency C-section and delivering her daughter, American Olympic gold medal runner Allyson Felix broke the sprinting record of Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive. She broke the record in the World Championships on Sunday in a 4x400 meter relay. On Nov. 28, she suffered preeclampsia during birth and ultimately delivered her daughter Camryn via emergency C-section. She went back to the track soon after to prepare for her 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.
Only 1.6 percent of Americans' charitable giving goes to help women and girls
According to a new report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Americans gave $396.5 billion in funds to charities in 2016, but only 1.6 percent of those funds went to organizations geared toward women and girls. Women and girls ranked behind organizations that support animals, international affairs and religion. Women’s organizations on the list included Planned Parenthood, YWCA chapters and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Warren leads 2020 field in new round of polling
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts surpassed former vice president Joe Biden in several 2020 Democratic presidential primary polls this week. Warren is ahead of Biden by four points in the weekly national polls, which marks the first time Biden has fallen out of the front-runner position. Black and Hispanic voters still favor Biden, however, while self-identified Democrats favor Warren. Meanwhile, candidates Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris are trailing behind Biden and Warren on all counts.
Ellen Degeneres, Jameela Jamil praise Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for taking legal action
Prince Harry is suing the parent company of “The Daily Mail” for “relentless propaganda” surrounding his wife Meghan Markle. He claimed the outlet violated Markle’s privacy after publishing a private letter she had written in February to her father, Thomas Markle. The Prince excoriated the press for being “ruthless” throughout Markle’s pregnancy and the birth of their newborn son. While not everybody agrees with the lawsuit, TV’s Ellen DeGeneres and Jameela Jamil lauded Prince Harry’s decision on Twitter. “I’m proud to call Meghan and Harry friends, and I’m even more proud of them for finally saying enough is enough,” said DeGeneres.
What's causing women to stay or leave tech fields
A new study from Capital One found that more than half of women in tech leave their jobs at some point, citing weak management, a lack of opportunity and a lack of work-life balance. Solid training, taking part in peer groups and having female role models would improve the odds of women staying in their positions, according to the study. Typically, the women who leave have no substantial issues with their actual work, but with their environments. Women currently hold only 25 percent of tech jobs.
How to get what you need above and beyond maternity leave
Women have difficulty asking for what they need in the workplace, according to Know Your Value founder Mika Brzezinski. Asking for maternity leave feels like a tough conversation, but it’s paramount that women ask for what they need not only for themselves but for the company that wants to retain their talent, she said. Brzezinski sat down with MSNBC’s Yasmin Vossoughian and Subha Barry, president of Working Mother Media, to discuss why women have difficulty speaking up about their needs and how they can get what they want while keeping their jobs.
Hysterectomy may raise anxiety and depression risk
Based on records of over 2,000 women, researchers found a hysterectomy was linked with a 26 percent increased risk of depression and 22 percent risk of anxiety. Women under 35 were more at risk with a 47 percent increased risk of depression and 45 percent for anxiety. The women received hysterectomies and were then followed for about 22 years for the study. None of the women had cancer; they received hysterectomies for uterine prolapse or fibroids.
How venture capital can help more women get ahead
Currently, only 11 percent of venture capitalists are women, while 71 percent of all venture capital firms have no female partners. Only 2 percent of venture capital has gone toward women-owned startups that focus on female customers since 2014. Early-stage investor Rebecca Kaden wrote for Harvard Business Review about how, and why, women need a seat at the table. She argued that gender parity leads to increased revenue and better investments.