The Broadsheet: December 23rd

EVERYONE'S TALKING

•Women of the year. CNN viewers voted Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai as the year's most inspiring woman. As for the most inspiring women in business, the nominees included Sam's Club CEO Roz Brewer, fragrance designer Jo Malone, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and L'Oréal Paris president Karen Fondu. CNN

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

•Top cop. Sally Quillian Yates is President Obama’s choice to become America's No. 2 law enforcement officer. If she and her prospective boss, Loretta Lynch, are appointed, it would mark the first time since the Clinton Administration that two women held the top two DOJ spots. WSJ

•Getting to know retail’s new chief. Paula Schneider, incoming CEO of urban youth outfitter American Apparel, is getting a moment in the sun as management turmoil continues to rock the company. The little-known private equity vet has serious financial chops, and has experience running big P&Ls. Fortune

•Federal dollars for women. The newly-signed National Defense Authorization Act includes a provision that will streamline access to federal contracts for women-owned businesses. “It opens up a market opportunity of $4 billion in U.S. government contracts for women entrepreneurs,” says Sen. Maria Cantwell.  WaPo

•Facing down a president. Turkey’s Sabancı University, founded by Sabanci Holding chief Güler Sabanci, issued a report on Monday tackling the economic fallout resulting from domestic violence in the country. It’s the latest in a string of efforts by female Turkish business leaders to provide a counterpoint to a Turkish president who has been an outspoken skeptic of women’s rights. Daily Beast

•Holiday survival guide. A few type-A women gave Fortune their best holiday survival tips, including leaving the cookie decoration to someone else. Epic Pharmacy Group’s Cathie Reid explains: “My husband bought most of the presents, Christmas cards went out the window and I didn’t make painstakingly decorated reindeer cupcakes for a single school or family function. And the world didn’t stop!” Fortune

•The weight of a rape accusation. A Columbia University student publicly accused of rape now says the system failed him, too, by not properly adjudicating his case. “I think by sweeping it under the rug [Columbia has] subjected him to a very painful, scarring experience,” his accuser's mother told the Times. NYTimes

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

•Better together. One study suggests that getting men and women to work together could increase revenue by 41%, even though job satisfaction goes down. WSJ

• Techno dystopia. Stanford’s storied class of ‘94 promised to break down gender barriers as it built an industry, but ended up reinforcing them. “The Internet was supposed to be the great equalizer,” said '94 grad Gina Bianchini. “So why hasn’t our generation of women moved the needle?” NYTimes

•Calling female entrepreneurs: Applications are open for Y Combinator’s  Female Founders Conference. The deadline is January 12.

ON MY RADAR

Frozen will bring in big bucks for Disney for years to comeFortune

Spain's Princess Cristina to stand trial over tax fraudAl Jazeera

FTC chair Edith Ramirez is flashing the agency's regulatory teeth NYTimes

"Stop being so emotional." And other things never to say to women at work.Business Insider

A 2014 reading round-up of writing on and for women.  HuffPo

QUOTE

When women are able to ascend to leadership positions, they can apply their experiences to support all business owners, not just women. When women are denied these opportunities, then companies do not reflect the sensibilities of half of the population. This is bad for business.

SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet testifying to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in favor of a provision for women-owned businesses.