June 2020 newsletter

Jun 1

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

Where we're at

We had a different newsletter for the month of June planned. But in light of everything that’s been happening around the world, in particular, the uprisings in the US, we scrapped those plans.

Silence is not an option. It never was. We support the #BlackLivesMatter uprisings. We stand with you. And we’re calling for concrete steps to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy and perpetuate inequality. We aren’t the experts, so we’re following the lead from organizers and experts behind:

Campaign Zero’s #8CANTWAIT
National Birth Equity Collaborative
H.R. 40 and reparations. This is the first, crucial step in coming to terms with the unpaid labor that built America.

We can’t forget that June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. We stand with you. And we’re calling for concrete steps to dismantle the structures that perpetuate transphobia and facilitate violence towards transfolx, particularly trans women of color. Including survey questions about gender identity is an important step, as the lack of data on transfolx is an unacceptable erasure.

The #BlackLivesMatter movement today and the history of Pride intersect. The Black trans community sparked the 1969 movement we know today. We recognize the long history of Black folx being erased from history and Black voices being silenced, and we will not be part of that. At Mirza, we are committed to always - not just for the month of June, not just when relevant to the news cycle - amplify marginalized voices.

As a company on a mission to shape a better future for all women and all parents, we will always stand with marginalized communities, using our time, voices, money, and product to fight for equality. We’re here to achieve equality in our lifetimes.

What's happening this month?

LGBTQ+ Pride Month

Good news: Do you hear wedding bells? On the 26th May 2020, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage

And on that note: 2020 marks the 5th anniversary of marriage equality in the US!

At Mirza, we're here for all parents, and we’re committed to inclusion and equality for all genders. This is why we choose to use the terminology of “child-bearing partner” and “non-childbearing partner”. You can expect an article on why this language is so important.

We’d also like to talk more about non-traditional gender norms and the gender pay gap, division of labor in a same-sex household, fertility, adoption, and more. But most importantly, we want to hear from our community and use our platform to elevate your voices. If you have any stories or opinions on any of these topics, send us an email. We’d love to share your story.

Higher Education Day
6th June

Higher education has always been sold as the solution to social and economic inequality. Yet data shows that women with MBAs, a prestigious postgraduate qualification no less, are not exempt from the gender wage gap. It would seem that no matter how qualified women are, how much women pursue the traditional avenues for success, or how much women do the “right thing", the wage gap still manages to find us. While men and women start around at the same level, male graduates earn more and enjoy a bigger pay jump only three years after finishing their MBA. Those who can’t work long or inflexible hours suffer from slow career advancement and are forced to forgo higher salaries. This is especially true in the highest-paying jobs, where women are far less likely to advance to higher executive positions. The structure is stacked against women, so what we’re doing is helping individuals navigate and over time change that very structure.

Juneteenth
19th June

We know Juneteenth may not be as directly tied to our space, in ending the motherhood penalty, but as responsible citizens with a commitment to structural change, we cannot fail to honor this day. Silence is erasure of experiences, of history, of people. We often speak about structures, and we know that silence reinforces structures.

Juneteenth marks the moment when emancipation finally reached those in the deepest part of the Confederate. Over 150 years later, Black Americans still face staggering inequalities. We discussed how WOC disproportionately suffer from the gender wage gap in one of our recent blog posts, and how we are committed to changing this state. We’ve decided not to link that post today. That post was written by an Asian woman, and we think co-conspirators need to be using our voices to amplify those of Black women, men, and friends beyond the binary. Listen to Kimberle Crenshaw’s TED Talk and the brilliant activists from Pod Save the People. Learn from those same activists’ research and solutions in Campaign Zero. Read Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Glory Edim, Reni Eddo Lodge, Colson Whitehead, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi. And take action. Donate to the NAACP, Campaign Zero, Black Lives Matter. Adopt a Swing State to help elect leaders who will make change.

Father's Day
21st June

Celebrating all dads, step-dads, single dads, stay-at-home dads and moms who are also dads. Happy Father’s day!

Dance with My Father
by Luther Vandross

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then
Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure I was loved

That’s it from us this month. We know that we had promised lighter newsletters after our introductory one, but we need to do the right thing. If you’re hungry for more information and some levity (promise!) from us, check out our blog and keep an eye out for all the posts we’ll be sharing throughout this month of June. We’ll be discussing many of the topics we’ve touched upon in this newsletter. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Speak to you soon,
M.