Laura Yeager will be the first woman in history to command a U.S. Army infantry division
Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager made history by becoming the first woman to command a U.S. Army infantry division. Beginning June 29, Yeager will lead the California Guard’s 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, which recently returned from Afghanistan. Hailing from a military family, Yeager is a former Black Hawk pilot. “Clearly, females are in the minority within the military, yet in every assignment I have held, my mostly male peers, subordinates and superiors, have supported me, treated me with respect, coached, mentored and advised me,” she told ABC Action News.
Late night comedy still looks bleak for women hosts and writers
In light of Mindy Kaling’s new film “Late Night,” the Los Angeles Times dove into the gender disparities in late night comedy. Samantha Bee is the only female hostess of late night comedy, and not a single late night show — including Bee’s — features a higher ratio of female writers. Women remain the minority on every team, and in some cases the disparity is egregious: “Late Night with Stephen Colbert” features four female writers out of the team of 22, and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” features only three women out of 23 writers.
Twitter exploded over unequal pay for the U.S. women’s soccer team
About two dozen U.S. women’s soccer team players recently filed a lawsuit demanding equal pay as their male counterparts. The fight was reignited on Twitter after the women’s team easily won their game against Thailand in the 2019 FIFA Womens World Cup by 13-0 this week. It was the biggest win in World Cup history, men’s or women’s. Many, including Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY), chimed in en masse to demand equal pay for the women who had just blown the world away.
Women reach their earnings peak 11 years before men and are paid $35,000 less
A new study showed bleak findings about equal pay and women’s longevity in the workplace. The salary site PayScale drew from a survey based on 1.4 million people, and found that the salary of U.S. college-educated women peaks at age 44 at an average of $66,700. Men, on the other hand, reach their peak at age 55 with a median salary of $101,200. Profound inequality was documented across all 22 occupational fields.
Broadway star Ali Stroker made history as the first person in a wheelchair to win a Tony
Ali Stroker won a Tony Award on Sunday for Best Featured Actress thanks to her winning performance in “Oklahoma!” on Broadway. She also happened to be the first person in a wheelchair ever to win a Tony, and her speech was a historic message of inclusivity: “This award is for every kid watching tonight who has a disability, who has a limitation or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena.”









