In ‘it’s about darn time’ news, the feds are prioritizing female small biz owners

All we want for Christmas…

…is YOU! Or rather, inspiring stories from all of you to share this holiday season. Reply to this email with your answer to one of the prompts below, or, go off script — that’s fine, too! Make sure to let us know if we can use your name or if you prefer to remain anonymous.

Describe a work experience that made you feel empowered.

Who do you see as a career mentor or inspiration? Could be someone you know personally or a public figure…

What is the best work advice you’ve ever received?

News to note 📝

In “it’s about darn time” news, the federal government is making female small business owners a priority. Small businesses are struggling during the pandemic, and women-owned businesses face special challenges. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is finally moving its Office of Women’s Business Ownership into a primary role within the agency, prioritizing female entrepreneurs and working to give them access to training, capital and government contracts — see the $37 billion earmarked for small businesses in the recent infrastructure bill. Woot! [19th]

How to disappear a sexual assault allegation. The devil works hard, but, apparently, Chinese internet censors work harder. The NYT reports that it only took them 20 minutes to spring into action and erase from public view tennis star Peng Shuai’s published account of sexual assault by a prominent government official. We would say more, but a picture (or rather, a graph) is worth a thousand words, so make sure to check out the interactive report outlining the (at times clunky) approach the authoritarian Chinese government took to disappearing Peng’s sexual assault allegation. Oh, and let us rephrase our earlier statement: Chinese internet censors work hard, but journalists work even harder. [NYT]

And that’s a wrap — for now — on Chris Cuomo. The former star news anchor is officially out at CNN after new information came to light about his involvement in brother and ex-New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s sexual harassment scandal. Details are TBD, but it must be pretty bad for the network to irrevocably sever ties — this after being absolutely bizarrely remarkably understanding about his need to put family before work (Siri, look up himpathy). Cuomo announced that he has dropped his Sirius XM show, and HarperCollins dropped him and his book, fittingly titled, “Deep Denial.” [Daily Beast, WP]

If Roe goes, California plans to step up. The key word here is “sanctuary” — if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the state wants to be a safe place for those seeking an abortion from another state. This could take the form of financial help with travel and lodging, as well as reimbursement to abortion providers in cases where patients can’t afford to pay. Twenty-six states could ban abortion if Roe is overturned. Over at CNN.com, Reshma Saujani (founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms) called on fellow business leaders to ensure reproductive freedom for their employees by offering abortion care and fighting for abortion rights. [AP, CNN]

What’s wrong with tech bro culture? Hmm, where to begin. Quartz sat down with Girls Who Code CEO Tarika Barrett (who took over the top exec spot from Saujani earlier this year) to discuss what the tech industry can do to increase diversity and inclusion in an industry notorious for its terrible treatment of women and people of color. Notably, Girls Who Code severed ties with video game developer Activision over its ongoing sexual harassment and abuse scandal. Some of the key (familiar) takeaways: Tech companies need to prioritize policies like paid parental leave, address their own biases in hiring and increase the number of women in leadership positions. [Quartz]

Numbers to know 🔢

 $3B  The amount the Biden administration intends to devote to maternal health initiatives as part of the Build Back Better Act. The U.S. has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among wealthy nations.

 $2M  The staggering pay gap between female and male doctors over the trajectory of their careers. According to a survey of 80,000 physicians, women make 25% less than their male counterparts — and that number adds up big time over a lifetime.

 27%  Growth in female-owned businesses on LinkedIn during the pandemic, even as women dropped out of the workforce in record numbers. 💪💪💪