#MeToo brought down 201 powerful men. Nearly half of their replacements are women
A year after the start of the #MeToo movement, the New York Times found that at least 200 prominent men have been fired as the result of sexual harassment allegations. And nearly half of the individuals who replaced them are women. That includes Tanzina Vega, who replaced John Hockenberry as host of the radio program The Takeaway. Vega told the publication, “We have the skills, we have the experience, we have the work ethic and we have the smarts to do it, and it’s time for us to do this job.”
Only 1 career in America pays women more than men
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) reported that the gender pay gap remains an obstacle for women, with females still earning only 80 cents to every dollar earned by a man. The only job where women made more than men was a wholesale or retail buyer. “It’s not okay to me that the lower-wage positions are the only ones where the pay gap is closer to closing and the higher paying positions are where you see the widest gap,” said Kim Churches, CEO of the AAUW. “It’s time to peel off the Band-Aid and let’s get to work.”
Why do famous women have to weigh in on the misdeeds of famous men?
As the number of men whose careers collapsed in the midst of the #MeToo movement increased, so too did the number of women in the entertainment industry who were dragged into the fray. Whether her harasser, an old friend, or a former co-star, the transgressions of these men started to become significant storylines attached to the women’s successes. Elahe Izadi, pop culture writer for the Washington Post, gave the example of Sarah Silverman, who tweeted about being constantly asked to comment on Louis C.K.’s misdeeds: “I can’t seem to do press for my show without being asked about it.”
The Catch-22 facing female leaders today
Research by two New York University professors found that stereotypically ‘masculine’ traits of competitiveness and assertiveness are valued more in leaders than stereotypically ‘feminine’ traits of intuition and empathy. However another study conducted by Skyline Group International showed that women who attempt to embody and present these more favorable traits are often received negatively and labeled as ‘bossy.’
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Lindsey China