The Female Quotient

Diana, Princess of Wales, changed what it could look like to be a public figure by leading with humanity. She held the hands of people living with HIV/AIDS at a time when fear and stigma surrounded the disease. She walked through an active minefield in Angola to bring the world’s attention to landmines. And she challenged the distance and formality traditionally expected of the royal family simply by showing up as herself. Diana was glamorous, vulnerable, rebellious, compassionate, a loving mom, and never afraid to let people see the woman behind the title. Remembering Princess Diana on the 29th anniversary of her death.

#FQLeaders ✨ Growth rarely arrives on a comfortable timeline. Marissa Mayer built her career by saying yes to challenges before she had every answer. Throughout her career, her willingness to step into the unknown has been the force driving her journey.

Baseball has been America’s pastime for nearly two centuries, and its ownership is finally starting to reflect more of America. Kwanza Jones, entrepreneur, artist, and philanthropist, has become the first Black woman to hold a majority ownership stake in an Major League Baseball (MLB) team as part of the new ownership group of the San Diego Padres. It’s a historic first in a sport with a long and complicated history of race, gender, and who gets a seat at the ownership table. Subscribe to read more in this week's FQ Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/egVFTjjr

Centuries of male-dominated medicine left us with 98% of female anatomy named after men. And while medicine has come a long way since then, much of that language hasn’t. We’re all for calling body parts what they actually are. But until then, Beyoncé’s got naming rights. 😉

#FQLeaders ✨ Brands can find ways to show up in live sports that go far beyond banner ads in an arena. Jamie Stenziano, Executive Vice President, Tech & Media Sector at Ipsos, pointed to Sephora's activation in the players' tunnel as proof that meaningful brand experiences don't have to interrupt the action to make an impact.

At the FQ Lounge in Chicago, Flora Kelly, Senior Vice President, ESPN Research at ESPN, reminded us that technology may change how brands create and communicate, but it doesn't change what audiences expect. Trust is earned when experiences feel genuine, relevant, and built around what fans actually value. #DisneyPartner

Olivia Rodrigo just turned one music festival into $20 million for women and girls. At the inaugural Daisy Chain Fields Festival in Irvine, California, Rodrigo revealed that the event had raised $10 million. Melinda French Gates then joined Rodrigo on stage and committed to matching that amount, bringing the total to $20 million. The funds will be split equally among 10 nonprofits that directly support women and girls. And that feels especially fitting for a festival that put women front and center, with Rodrigo, Stevie Nicks, Chappell Roan, Doechii, and many more taking the stage. Women showing up for women can look like a lot of things. Sometimes it’s sharing a stage, and sometimes it’s sharing resources. “Daisy Chain Fields is about what can happen when we come together and use our collective power to support one another," Rodrigo said during her set.

Marquise Goodwin was just 10 months old when his little sister Deja was born. From a young age, he took on the responsibility of helping care for her as she grew up with cerebral palsy, and the two formed a bond that has shaped who he is ever since. Deja was born three months premature, and doctors told their family she might not live past six months. She beat those odds, and Marquise watched her do it. He went on to become an elite athlete in two sports, representing Team USA in the long jump at the 2012 Olympics before building a decade-long career as a wide receiver in the NFL. Through it all, he has credited Deja as one of his greatest sources of motivation. “Despite cerebral palsy, she never stopped believing, never stopped praying, never stopped shining light. Deja, your life continues to remind me, strength isn’t in medals or records, it’s in the soul.”

How exciting is it that we *get* to age? An honor, a treat, a joy, a privilege… call it what you want, but aging is a GIFT.

Dolly Parton lived with endometriosis at a time when so many women suffered without talking about it. She never had children of her own, but she found a way to give that love to millions of other children. She once said she believed she didn’t have children so “everybody’s kids could be mine.” In so many ways, they really were.