You’ve got to love social media. An outcry on Twitter and Facebook has forced Fiat Argentina to withdraw an auto manual that urged drivers to put a woman in the backseat if her “skirt is too short” so they can “keep” their “concentration,” the BBC reports.
The publication on how to enjoy a Fiat car also called female passengers “co-pilots,” and said they should “at least have nice legs.”
Needless to say, the handbook caused outrage among women’s groups, including Ni Una Menos, which condemns violence against women. Ni Una Menos posted pages from the manual on its Facebook page, sparking calls for it to be rescinded. It also pointed out that the Fiat manual had actually won an award.
Fiat Argentina realized its mistake, and said in a tweet the manual “has been withdrawn from circulation.” It also tweeted that the publication “was never intended to disrespect the community.”
I’m just not sure how it made it into print in the first place. Here’s to hoping we don’t find other stories like this in the future.
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA
| . |
| The creme de la Crenn |
| France-born Dominique Crenn, just named the world's best female chef, says she plans to use the recognition as a platform to talk about getting more women into the industry "every day." Crenn, who received her accolade from the World's 50 Best Restaurant awards, known as the "Oscars of food," was the only woman recognized by the group this year. |
| Today |
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| A pay gap in nursing |
| You might think a profession filled with women would not have much of a gender pay gap. But a survey shows nursing in the U.K., with a workforce that's over 80% female, has a gap of 14%. |
| We Are The City |
THE AMERICAS
| The power of the pen |
| Members of Congress spent an hour publicly reading the anonymous letter by the victim who was sexually assaulted at Stanford University last year. It was quite powerful. |
| Fortune |
| . |
| Where Hillary wins |
| There's some good news for supporters of Hillary Clinton. Politico's Battleground States polling average shows Clinton is ahead of Donald Trump in 11 key states. |
| Politico |
| . |
| And then there were two |
| Film executive Stacey Snider, a former DreamWorks Studios exec, has been named chairwoman and chief executive of Twentieth Century Fox Film. Along with Universal Pictures Chairwoman Donna Langley, Snider will be one of two women heading a major Hollywood studio. |
| Los Angeles Times |
ASIA-PACIFIC
| Muzzling feminism |
| Feminism is rising in China, but it has not come without a cost. The Los Angeles Times reports efforts by activists to fight sexist behavior in the workplace and in society as a whole have led to a crackdown by authorities. |
| Los Angeles Times |
| . |
| A female first in Tokyo? |
| In more uplifting news out of Asia, Barron's makes the case that it may be time for a woman to lead the city of Tokyo. The pub says entrepreneur Rina Bovrisse, the first woman to run for the job, has become a "cause celebre" of Japan's "sadly weak feminist movement." |
| Barron's |
IN BRIEF
| Friday fun: Watch Amy Schumer and Anna Wintour trade places |
| Fortune |
| Progress for women at the top of financial firms has been slow, global survey shows |
| Bloomberg |
| U.K. lawmaker Jo Cox dies after attack, halting Brexit campaign |
| Wall Street Journal |
| Stella McCartney to launch menswear collection |
| New York Times |
| German diplomat Helga Schmid named head of EU's foreign service |
| Reuters |
PARTING WORDS
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| — famed British baker Mary Berry |
