Good morning, WMPW readers! Amal Clooney has won a case that pitted her against Cherie Blair, French men aren’t taking paternity leave, and China says its women’s gymnastics team will be of age in Rio. Want to get in touch with me about a powerful woman? You can find me on Twitter at @laurascohn. WMPW won’t publish Monday, which is a holiday in the U.S. and the U.K., but will be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Have a fabulous weekend!
THE BIG STORY
A pseudonym for your CV? |
Would you change your name to boost your chances of landing a job interview? Kayo Anosike did. After getting no response when she applied using her real name, she changed it to “Kayla Benjamin” on her resume, and secured employment 10 days later. Anosike, who applied for corporate work after earning a masters in business psychology from the University of Westminster, was shocked but relieved. While what Anosike did raises ethical questions in my mind, name bias is getting a lot of buzz in corporate and political circles. It seems to affect women more than men. To combat the issue, the U.K.’s National Health Service is enacting name-blind recruiting by 2020. And the BBC, HSBC, and law firm Clifford Chance are doing it, too. What do you think of the issue of name bias, and have you–or a colleague–experienced it? Email me, at laura.cohn@gmail.com, and share your views. |
Financial Times |
SHARE THIS | ![]() | ![]() |
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA
Saying “non” to paternity leave |
Some 46% of French men who did not take their full paid paternity leave turned it down because they were “not interested.” Ouch. At least they have the option, which isn’t required by law in the U.S. |
Quartz |
. |
Turkish tennis |
Talk about inspiring. At the French Open, a pair of female Turkish tennis players, Cagla Buyukakcay and Ipek Soylu, became the first women from their country to get to the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. |
New York Times |
. |
Amal beats Cherie |
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has won a case that pitted her legal skills against those of high-profile lawyer Cherie Blair. Clooney’s win allows Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives, to get refugee status in Britain. Blair’s firm advised the current president. |
The Times |
ASIA-PACIFIC
Surviving Nagasaki |
Miyako Jodai, who survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki, says she was knocked unconscious during the attack and was “so scared.” After escaping to a cave with other people for several days, Jodai, ahead of President Obama’s historic visit to Hiroshima, recalled that she came out to find her city still in flames. |
New York Times |
. |
Old enough for Rio |
Remember the controversy surrounding the extremely young-looking women on China’s gymnastics team at the Olympics eight years ago? Well, China has officially said that the members of its women’s gymnastics team for Rio will meet the eligibility requirement that a woman turn 16 the year an Olympics is held. |
South China Morning Post |
THE AMERICAS
Testing time for Theranos |
Things have taken a turn for the worse for the blood-testing startup Theranos, led by Elizabeth Holmes. Already under regulatory scrutiny, Theranos is now facing a class action lawsuit. |
Fortune |
. |
Shining after Sheryl |
TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot, one of Fortune’s 40 under 40, has been named as one of the top executives in the U.S. and the U.K. battling discrimination in the workplace. Brown-Philpot, who previously worked in management at Google and was mentored by Sheryl Sandberg, also recently forged a recruitment partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus. |
Financial Times |
. |
And then there were 13 |
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed a law that makes it illegal to have most abortions 20 weeks after fertilization. Such bans exist in 13 U.S. states. |
Time |
IN BRIEF
Homeownership pays off, except for single women |
Fortune |
U.S. women’s soccer team requests strike over pay disparity |
Time |
Poster campaign in Rome questions ban on female priests |
Guardian |
Why American Simone Biles dominates gymnastics |
New Yorker |
New book highlights photos, personal essays of senior women |
The New York Times |
Study says half of sexist comments on Twitter come from women |
Quartz |
PARTING WORDS
Two things I want to do is move people to tears and make them laugh.