Duo Dolls Celebrate Female Friendships
Mattel unveiled a new Barbie line Tuesday dedicated to four legendary female friendship duos who inspire and uplift each other. The collection, designed to honor women from various backgrounds and professions, comes during Women’s History Month. The collection highlights duos whose bonds empower each other’s success, with the goal of encouraging girls to build friendships that fuel both social and professional growth.
The line features some iconic pairings including Olympic gold medalists Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey,Ted Lasso co-stars Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple, Australian tennis legends Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Ash Barty, and Brazilian body positivity advocates Paola Antonini and Kelen Ferreira. Antonini and Ferreira, both amputees, bonded over their shared experiences, particularly when Antonini portrayed a character inspired by Ferreira's life-changing injuries in the Netflix series The Endless Night. The dolls celebrate not only their professional achievements but also the powerful friendships that helped shape their journeys.
Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, two of the featured athletes, shared their excitement about being honored with their own Barbie dolls. "There’s no power or peace quite like knowing you have a support system of women behind you," Chiles said. Carey echoed the sentiment, expressing her gratitude for the recognition and her passion for empowering future female athletes. The collection continues Mattel's tradition of honoring influential women, following last month’s release of dolls celebrating pop star Alicia Keys and recording engineer Ann Mincieli, with proceeds benefiting their nonprofit organization, She Is The Music.
Will we ever see pay equity?
This year, March 25 marks a day of reflection and action for women across the United States — Equal Pay Day. This date serves as a reminder of the persistent income inequality between men and women. The significance of the day is stark: it symbolizes how far into the new year full-time female workers have to keep working to earn what their male counterparts made in the previous year. In an unfortunate setback, this year's date is 13 days later than it was last year. And, it should be noted, this date mainly represents white women and women in high-level positions. The dates for women in marginalized groups come later in the year, the latest equal pay day being in November for Native Women. Despite the progress women have made in education and leadership roles, the pay gap remains stubbornly wide, and achieving pay equity is still a distant goal.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women earn on average just 83 cents for every dollar earned by men.This gap isn’t just a statistical discrepancy — it has long-term implications. Women starting their careers today will lose up to $1 million over a 40-year career, a staggering figure that illustrates the ongoing financial disadvantage women face. Worse yet, estimates from the World Economic Forum suggest that it could take up to 134 years to close the global gender pay gap.
The reasons behind this persistent pay gap are multifaceted. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center report, women are more likely to work in lower-paying industries and are also disproportionately affected by the "motherhood penalty," where women take time off or reduce their working hours due to caregiving responsibilities. Equal Pay Day for mothers does not occur until May 6th. Systemic biases also continue to play a significant role in preventing women from reaching their full earning potential. The financial implications of the pay gap extend beyond just earnings. Because women have less disposable income, they tend to save less and invest more conservatively than men, which results in a considerable wealth gap over time. Women are therefore contributing less to savings accounts, and save far less annually than their male counterparts.
As we reflect on Equal Pay Day, it's clear that while we have made strides in education and workforce participation, there is still a long road ahead to achieving true pay equity. Equal Pay Day is not just a reminder of the disparities that still exist, but a call to action for policies and personal strategies that can help women take control of their financial futures. Until the wage gap is closed, it is essential that women (and their allies) continue to push for equal opportunities, fair pay, and systemic change that will level the playing field for all.
Women’s Elite Sports Revenues Shatter Expcectations
Women’s elite sports are experiencing unprecedented growth, with revenues set to reach a record-breaking $2.35 billion in 2024, more than triple the market size in 2022, according to a new report by Deloitte. The consulting firm, which released its updated projections this week, described 2024 as a "landmark year" for women’s sports, noting that the industry is exceeding expectations and surpassing initial projections.
Deloitte's report highlights key moments from the past year that contributed to this surge, including women Olympians generating over 50% of social media engagement during the Paris Games, despite their events being featured less than men's competitions. Additionally, the WNBA secured a new broadcast deal amid record viewership, and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) players negotiated a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Another significant milestone was achieved by AC Milan, which became the first European soccer club to guarantee automatic contract renewals for players who become pregnant during the final year of their contract. These developments reflect a growing momentum in women’s sports, with an increasing number of brands, broadcasters, and fans getting involved.
However, the report also highlights that disparities between sports, markets, and even within leagues continue to persist. Basketball and soccer are expected to remain the highest revenue-generating sports, contributing 44% and 35% of the total, respectively. North America and Europe are still leading global markets, with North America accounting for 59% of the revenue and Europe for 18%. Yet, even within women’s soccer, significant pay discrepancies remain. FIFA’s annual Women’s Football Benchmarking Report reveals that the average salary for a female soccer player is just $10,900 a year, though this figure is skewed by the higher wages paid by a few top-tier global clubs. The report also explains that clubs paying higher salaries tend to offer better non-financial benefits, such as health insurance and housing.
Despite these challenges, the growth of women’s sports shows no signs of slowing. Corresponding with this rise in interest in women’s sports, sports bars focused on showing women’s sports are expected to quadruple in 2025. Three have already opened this year, with 14 more expected to follow in the coming months. The female-focused bars have swept the nation, popping up in every region of the country. The first ever women’s sports bar, The Sports Bra, opened in Portland, Oregon in 2022. Its success has inspired countless other women to open up a space that focuses on women’s sports and fostering a safe, welcoming community.
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