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12-Year-Old Refuses to Do 'Girl Chores' Around the House - His Moms Response Goes Viral
Uplifting News

12-Year-Old Refuses to Do 'Girl Chores' Around the House - His Moms Response Goes Viral

*Featured image contains photos by Gustavo FringIn today’s society, it’s becoming increasingly normal for families to split household chores more equally. Sure, there’s always work to do, but households are a lot different than they used to be. Split families and households where both parents work to earn an income mean that chores can’t always fall on one person.How the chores are split also shouldn’t be based on gender, as one mom reminded the world recently when her son decided they should be.A Routine That WorksA 41-year-old single mom with three boys (12-year-old twins and a 10-year-old) depends on their help to keep the house tidy every week. In exchange for their chores, she pays them $10 a day. They have five days to complete their chores, and which days they complete the chores are up to them.If they fail to complete their chores for a day, however, they lose $10. At the end of the week, the mom pays out the balance of those efforts.“This system has worked swimmingly for us since it started, the boys have always complied with completing their chores,” the mom wrote on Reddit.Outside InfluenceOne day, one of the mom’s 12-year-olds was getting ready to play a video game with his friend. He told his friend he would be ready to play in 15 minutes, but first, he had to dust and sweep the stairs.When he was done, the boys began playing their game, and the friend commented, “It’s a good thing my parents don’t make me do girl chores.”Later, when the mom learned about the incident, she explained to her son that there are no such things as boy chores and girl chores. Chores are chores, and the family was a team that needed to work together for the household to function.“I also told him that I understood that other families functioned differently; however, in our family, everyone did an equal share,” she added.Putting Consequences Into ActionDespite the talk, the boy refused to do his chores for the next three days. So, as per the agreement, the mother deducted $10 per day from his allowance. He received $20 for the two days he did his chores, while his brothers both got their $50.According to the Reddit post, the son was upset, and he called his father about it. Instead of supporting the mom, the dad called her and told her she was in the wrong.“I explained to him that our other sons actually did their chores for all five days, so they were rewarded accordingly,” she continued. “And assured him that if he had decided to start giving the boys an allowance then he can run allowance however he wanted, but this was ultimately the system I had come up with. My ex-husband told me that I am being insensitive and humiliating our son.”A Viral ResponseMany in the comments of the post agreed with the mom and added that maybe it was a good thing she was no longer with the father if he couldn’t support her. Others applauded her parenting style and reiterated that helping around the house was help, and there should never be a gender assigned to that.Sure, some people called the mom out for what they felt was a hefty allowance — $50 per child per week is $150 a week, or $600 per month. But at the end of the day, the message resonated with many, especially moms at home who are struggling with full-time work and the stress of running a household.Setting an Example for KidsThis story powerfully reminds us that it’s up to us to break gender norm stereotypes and reframe the conversation for the next generation. Many of us grew up watching moms cook, and dads tend to the lawn, for example. But it takes everyone in the house to keep the house running, and gender should be the last thing those chores are based on.In many households, dads love to cook, and moms love to mow the lawn, for example. And let’s not forget there are households with same-sex couples. At the end of the day, chores and household tasks should be divided by other factors, such as enjoyment, ability, time, and competence.By modeling those behaviors for kids, they will learn, and shared chores will become normalized. And if you’re a parent trying to get your kid to help out around the house, remember that no chores should be decided based on whether you have boys or girls. More from Goalcast:Single Mom Expects 6-Year-Old Son to Do Household Chores – The Reason Why Is a Lesson for All ParentsExhausted Mom Comes Home After a 10 Hour Work Day – Decides to Record What She SeesMan Explains Why He Refuses to Help His Wife and 4 Kids Around the House – And Strangers Are Praising Him for It

Employee Blocks Teen From Riding Ferris Wheel Because of Her Disability - So Her Stunned Friends Take Action
Uplifting News

Employee Blocks Teen From Riding Ferris Wheel Because of Her Disability - So Her Stunned Friends Take Action

*Featured image contains photo by Tim GouwUnfortunately, people with Down Syndrome have been stereotyped and discriminated against for years. And while the condition is completely different than it was even 20 years ago, a lack of education and ongoing prejudice mean it’s important to continue speaking out and sharing stories.This is exactly what one teen wanted to do after she experienced unexpected discrimination during a school trip.A Fun Outing Takes an Unexpected TurnKathryn Embry was with her class on a trip to Scheels in Overland Park, Kansas having a great time with her friends. The day took an unexpected turn, however, when the 18-year-old was denied entry to the sporting goods store’s Ferris wheel because she had a “disability.”Not only was Embry upset, but her friends and soccer teammates Emily Kramer and Morgan McGruder were angry too.“It made me really upset because I know that Kathryn is an amazing girl,” McGruder told Fox4. Kramer added the school couldn’t do anything, which made them even angrier.“Just because someone might look different than someone else, you shouldn’t assume their capabilities. Kathryn can do anything we can do,” McGruder added.Frustrated, the girls teamed up with Embry and recorded a video about the incident to share on social media and help spread the word that this kind of discrimination isn’t okay.“I tried to go on the Ferris wheel with my buddy, but they said I can’t because I have disabilities,” Kathryn said in the video.Setting the Record StraightAfter hearing about the incident, Embry’s mom called the store. The manager explained that while he wasn’t aware of the specific incident, the store has a policy that everyone riding the Ferris wheel needs to be able to follow the rules. The class that day was half made up of kids with special learning needs and half of the peers who work with them.“They said everybody with disabilities in the group, you need to have a person who’s an adult chaperone,” Karen said. Her issue, however, was that no one asked her daughter if she understood the rules. She did, perfectly.“The thing is, Kathryn has Down Syndrome, so you can look at her and see that she has a disability,” Karen said. “But it says nothing about what her capabilities are. She can read the rules. She can follow the rules.”“I’ve been on the Scheels trip before. They’ve let other students with disabilities ride with peer tutors,” Kramer explained. “They told her she couldn’t even ride with a peer, with another student, which is just outrageous.”Raising AwarenessUltimately, Embry isn’t out to hurt anybody or to start a call to action against the store. What she hopes to gain by sharing her story is awareness: she wants to educate others so that these types of incidents stop happening.She and her mom would also appreciate a policy change and perhaps an apology.“We’re not here about a boycott [or to] shut down a business that’s been very generous in our community,” Kathryn’s family told the publication. “We’re about educating — not just the community at large, but business," she continued. "Even if it’s unintentional, it’s still illegal, and it’s still wrong because it perpetuates stereotypes and it hurts a population, especially who are hitting this young adult stage.”Standing Up for What’s RightThis story is a great reminder to all of us that we don’t know what we don’t know, but it is on us to educate ourselves and to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes in order to eliminate stereotypes and prejudices. We can only be an ally if we take the time to learn and understand those around us who may be different, after all.More importantly, the kindness of Embry’s friends and the way they were so quick to defend her is heartwarming and inspiring. When we see an injustice, it’s important to speak up and be there for others rather than burying our heads in the sand.More from Goalcast:Parents Abandon Baby With Down Syndrome at Birth — Years Later, She’s a Famous ActorMan With Down Syndrome Has Worked at Wendy’s for 20 Years – Instead of Rewarding His Loyalty, He Was Fired

Black Girls Complaints About Racist Bullies Are Always Dismissed by Her School - Finally, She Realizes She's Had Enough
Uplifting News

Black Girls Complaints About Racist Bullies Are Always Dismissed by Her School - Finally, She Realizes She's Had Enough

Autumn Roberson-Manahan loved school. She got along well with her classmates and teachers. The straight-A student hoped to be her class’s valedictorian. Just before her senior year, though, Autumn’s family moved from Ohio to Slaton, Texas. Little did they know how much that move to a rural Texas town would change their lives.Driving into Slaton, residents and visitors are greeted by a mural showing Black workers in a cotton field, a white farmer keeping watch over them from his tractor.The slogan says,“Slaton: Your Kind Of Town.” Both of Autumn’s parents had grown up in the town of under 6,000 people. When they made the decision to move back, they had vague memories of experiencing some racism there. What they didn’t realize is that not only had things not gotten better — they had gotten worse. And the three children they had raised in Ohio weren’t about to take it sitting down.The Relentless Racism One Girl Faced at SchoolPhoto by Brett SaylesThe first time someone called Autumn a derogatory name was in class at her new school. The boy had asked her where she lived. When she told him, he said, “I run your block, n—er.” Autumn was shocked. She looked back at the boy and said calmly, “That’s offensive.” It wouldn’t be the last time she heard the racial slur. In fact, it became a daily occurrence for Autumn, as it was for the two dozen Black students at the school. Autumn continued to ask students to stop calling her that. Two weeks into the school year, she started making formal complaints to the principal. But Autumn was dismissed. While school officials claimed to come down hard on racism, Autumn didn’t see anyone being punished, and the taunts continued. When Autumn’s parents found out what was going on, they were furious. Autumn’s mother JaQuatta ordered a special pen for her daughter, one that could make audio recordings. She told her daughter to record any racial aggressions she experienced at school.“I wanted to have proof,” JaQuatta said. “When it comes to Black children, I’m sorry to say it, you have to have that.” JaQuatta also asked to speak to the principal and sent a letter to the superintendent. How One Girl Decided to Get ProofIn the first incident Autumn recorded, two boys are chanting the n-word at her. One goes so far as to say, “I’m gonna hurt you.” When Autumn’s mother heard that, she immediately took the recording to the principal: "You mean to tell me my child can’t feel safe? When all she wants to do is be excellent?”Indeed, as the harassment dragged on, Autumn’s grades started to slip. The girl became less and less her joyful, bubbly self and more and more withdrawn.For months, Autumn calmly but firmly documented every instance of racism, showing school administrators the pervasive problem and pleading with them to do something about it. Autumn remembers two boys confronting her, laughing at the fact that they couldn’t say the word n—er. Instead, the first boy chanted the first syllable of the word and the second boy finished it.She also remembers a school administrator telling her she shouldn’t let something as small as a word hurt her.Autumn continued to make complaints to teachers and administrators, but as it became increasingly clear that nothing was to be done about it, the 17-year-old bottled up her feelings.JaQuatta lamented, “They took my beautiful baby girl — who my husband and I worked so hard to mold and love and support — and they broke her. They didn’t protect her. They cast her aside like she was trash.”How a 17-Year-Old Stood Up for Herself Against Bullies And then one day, Autumn couldn’t take it anymore. When a boy called her a name on the basketball court, she grabbed him by the hood of his sweatshirt and started slapping him, screaming, “It’s not OK! It’s racist!”The smart, joyful girl with a bright future ahead of her had been chipped away at until it came to this. And the school came down hard…not on the boy who, other students confirmed, had been making repeated racist comments toward her for weeks, but on Autumn. For the girl who had no record of disciplinary action on her file, they decided she would have to serve 45 days at the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program, a juvenile detention like setting where students wear orange uniforms, sit facing forward at all times and can only speak with permission.Autumn’s future had taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Desperate, the 17-year-old ran away and attempted to take her own life. Autumn’s parents were besides themselves with grief. The physician overseeing Autumn’s care recommended that she switch schools.How One Family Demanded Action From AuthoritiesAutumn’s parents went back to the school. They sat with administrators and reminded them of all the times they had asked for help with the pervasive racism at school, all the times they had asked them to intervene before it was too late. Now, it was too late for requests. They demanded action. When the school hemmed and hawed again, Autumn’s parents decided they had no other choice but to file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education. They would be in good company. The NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Intercultural Development Research Association, a nonprofit education equity group, had filed federal complaints with the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights concerning school districts in Lubbock County. Documented incidents include white students playing whipping sounds on their cell phones as Black students walk by, taunting Black students with the n-word on the basketball court, and the creation by a group of middle schoolers of an Instagram page called “LBMS Monkeys”, where photos of Black students are posted. How a Family Proves Racism Should Be Combatted With EducationPhoto by Polina KovalevaResearch shows that children targeted by racism, sexism, or other types of bullying are more likely to develop mental health problems and struggle in school. That was certainly the case for Autumn. She went from being slated to be the class valedictorian to not being sure she’d finish her senior year. She went from loving school to hating it, struggling to sleep and struggling to get up in the morning.“I reported situation after situation, to where, personally, I felt like we were almost begging for some type of reparation for everything going on, for some type of justice,” said Autumn. “In the process of all of that, I feel like I was losing myself.”In response, the school district reiterated that they are increasing disciplinary measures for students who use racial slurs. But, for Autumn, it’s too little too late. It’s also not enough. Autumn would like increased punitive measures to be accompanied by education.Because racism is a lack of education, perhaps the best way to combat it is to teach children the country’s history, its fight for civil rights, how far it has come and how far it still needs to go to provide all of its citizens with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. All children — and many adults — need to be taught not only to not be the instigators of racism, but also to not stand for it and, like Autumn, to speak up, again and again.More from Goalcast:Racist Woman Calls Police on Black Man Driving 2 White Kids – Little Did She Know Who He Really Was in the CommunityBlack Employee Is Fired After He Stands Up to His Racist Boss – Outraged Co-workers Have the Best ResponseRacist Man Refuses to Apologize for His Daughter’s Bullying – Until the Victim’s Father Gets the Last Laugh

Rude Diner Asks Boss to Hang a Sign About Her Special Needs Employees - She Agrees, but He Wasn’t Expecting It to Say This
Uplifting News

Rude Diner Asks Boss to Hang a Sign About Her Special Needs Employees - She Agrees, but He Wasn’t Expecting It to Say This

When you work in the service industry, you deal with all kinds of difficult customers. And unfortunately, despite the old saying, the customer isn’t always right. Thankfully not all employers go by that old adage anyhow and are willing to stand up for their staff when they’re mistreated. Such as the boss at the centre of this story.A Customer ComplaintFacebook/Pizza InnIn Greenville, South Carolina, Amanda Cartagine owns a restaurant called Greenville Pizza Inn. There, she oversees a diverse team of employees that includes 63 percent of people with special needs. It’s important to her, and she tries her best to make everyone feel like they’re a part of her team.“If you have the patience to let them take their time and learn at their pace, when the light bulb comes on, they are unstoppable,” she told news outlet WYFF4.RELATED: Mom Fights To Adopt Abused Special Needs Teen Who Lived With 28 Other OrphansOne Sunday, though, she encountered an issue when a customer complained about the service. According to the publication, the man in question asked an employee with autism to refill the lettuce bowl at the salad bar, but he wouldn’t.“My manager explained to him the situation privately, 'That's not his job. We've trained him to do this, and there are special circumstances,' and the customer was still not happy,” Cartagine explained.The Perfect Response At that point, the customer suggested to Cartagine that she put a sign on the door to make customers aware of their staff’s special needs. The owner was upset and entertained the idea before putting up a different sign.“We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and hire all of God's children,” she wrote.Later, she explained her decision to WYFF, revealing she doesn’t really care if that customer returns, and she hopes the sign inspires people to be more open-minded in general. “If he is not OK with that, then I'm OK with him not coming back,” she added. “That's a dollar that I don't need.”RELATED: Special Needs Teacher Who Lost 5 Family Members to COVID Gets a Bittersweet Celebrity SurpriseAccording to the mother of one of Greenville Pizza Inn’s employees, who has Down syndrome, having a steady job and paycheck means the world to her son.“He loved the fact that he has money in the bank, and he can actually go buy his favorite video game,” Angie Mosley said. “We parents with special needs (children) are always faced with breaking down barriers, stigmas, teaching other people that our children are more like them than different.”Respecting Our DifferencesThis story hit home for so many people because it reminds us how important it is to respect one another and be kind no matter our differences. A customer shouldn’t need a sign to know to lead with kindness, compassion, and empathy when speaking to another human being about a salad bar.At the same time, how many employers would stand up for their employees in this kind of situation, not only with the customer himself but with the sign that she then posted in the window? By offering people with special needs a chance to work at her restaurant, this pizza shop owner is breaking down stigmas and establishing what kind of clientele she wants to attract.It’s a nice reminder to all of us that we should never judge a book by its cover. Always get to know someone before determining what they can and cannot do. And in the meantime, give people a shot. Whether you’re working with them, hiring them, collaborating with them, or looking to make a new friend, you may find that people from all different walks of life can continue to surprise you the more you get to know who they really are deep down.

Waiter Pauses During Shift To Feed Disabled Customer, Allowing Her Husband To Enjoy His Meal Too
Uplifting News

Waiter Pauses During Shift To Feed Disabled Customer, Allowing Her Husband To Enjoy His Meal Too

Simply a humble man doing a very kind thing.He believes in treating people equallyA disabled woman and her husband would often come to the IHOP in Springfield, Illinois, and they'd always sit at Joe Thomas' table.Thomas had been working as a waiter at the IHOP for over a decade and one day he decided to sit down with the couple and help the woman eat instead of watching her husband do it.“I always see him stop eating to feed her and I was like 'heck, if I’m not doing anything why don't I go feed her so he can eat and everyone can be happy?' My parents always told me to treat people equally and that's what I try to do all the time,” Thomas told ABC 20 in 2017.“They are just really nice people really."Joe ThomasHis kindness was infectiousUnbeknownst to Thomas, a customer took a photo of Thomas feeding the woman and shared it on Facebook.“A man and disabled women were dining and your server sat down with them and proceeded to help feed the disabled woman while her companion enjoyed his food. My faith in humanity has been restored a little today," the since-removed post read, according to People.The photo and the story went viral. So much so that a couple of days after the news broke Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner dropped in to commend Thomas.“It makes you tear up a little, this kindness, this generosity, this caring for others is just a great thing,” the former governor said. "It's very exciting. That's why we were like let’s go say hi to him and say thank you for being a wonderful person."“Here is a wonderful human being who cares for others deeply and takes time out of his day to help."Former Illinois Governor Bruce RaunerHe sees himself as just an average guyCommenting on the attention he's received, Thomas reacted humbly“It really felt good for somebody to actually see another person is doing something and take notice,” he told ABC 20. “It felt good, but at the same time I was like I really don’t care for the recognition too much because it’s just something that should automatically be done regardless. I am out there to help anyone if I can, don’t really look for anything in return just have a good day and that’s it.”Last we heard of Thomas he was offered a job in nursing.Kindness is everywhereClearly Thomas had good parents to teach him with such kindness — but you don't have to be raised a certain way to know what it means to treat others with sincerity. We might not always see these kinds of acts of kindness in our day to day, but they're surely happening. So why not pass on the kindness the next opportunity you get?More uplifting stories:8 Years Ago, She Was An Addict On The Verge Of Death – Today, She Proved Everyone WrongTeen Skips Graduation Because Parents Can’t Make It – His Manager Steps InTwins Lose Over 250 Lbs Together By Supporting One AnotherAt 480 Lbs, He Received a Deadly Wake-up Call And Turned His Life Around

Mom Takes Sudden 4-Day Vacation, Teaches Unhelpful Husband Hard Lesson
Uplifting News

Mom Takes Sudden 4-Day Vacation, Teaches Unhelpful Husband Hard Lesson

When a mother and a wife says, "I need help," you better listen.Not helping around the houseTry as she might, a mother of a four-year-old couldn't convince her husband to take on more household chores. So, she did something that might be seen as drastic.In a post in the Reddit forum AITA, the mom explained that she'd been with her partner for eight years, including 15 months married — but he's helping out less and less while she takes on the heavy lifting in addition to her full-time job."Before this he would make dinner on his days off, take care of ALL of sons needs and do basic cleaning so that I could have a breather," she wrote. "Now he doesn't make dinner at all, falls asleep on the couch by 7 so I have son duty 24/7 and hasn't lifted a finger to clean in weeks. So on my 3 days off a week, I end up having to deep clean my entire house because I dont have time to do anything on my work days aside from the bare minimum.""It's a struggle."She tried to ask for helpThe mom said she recently asked for some help and he said 'yes,' but not for long."He happily obliged for all of 30 minutes before taking off to go help a buddy with his car and didn't do jack squat after returning home because he 'was tired.'"The mom said she told him she needed a break, but he didn't understand her true needs."His way of comforting me was by hugging me and saying 'You're doing such a good job.' Didn't offer to help or anything."A solo vacation to teach him a lessonSo, the woman devised a plan.She asked her mom to take her son for four days while she took a solo trip to the cottage 58 miles away.Her husband wasn't impressed."My husband started texting me last night asking where I was. I told him the cabin. He asked where our son was so I told him. He then started going off about how this is selfish of me and that if he had realized I wasnt merely stressed out that he would have helped out more."The husband said that he is stressed and tired as well and could have used the vacation too. He also claimed that she communicated her needs poorly. "But the thing is, I straight out told him I needed a break. I asked him for help. He disregarded it all. But now I'm curious if I'm an AH."No, she's not the AHIn the comments, Redditors overwhelmingly supported the mom."Does husband not have eyes? Can he not see what needs to be cleaned, tidied or cooked? Does he not know his child's needs? If he didn't before maybe his "four day vacation" without a child to care for or a wife to clean up after him opened his eyes," wrote ToTwoTooToo.BroadElderberry supported the mom and shared their own experience: "My SO can be the same way. I'll say 'my back hurts from shoveling snow' and he'll want to go walk around the mall for hours. I'll say 'I'm overwhelmed from doing so much around the house' and he'll give me the same 'you're doing great.' And then when I finally have a break down, it's 'I didn't know it was so bad, you didn't tell me!' No. We tell you. We just don't make a broadway production out of it, so you use that to pretend that it's 'not so bad.'"Support is great. Actually helping is better.Despite American women working just as much as men in their careers, studies show that they still take on more of the household chores. And that isn't fair.Child rearing, living together and being in a relationship is takes more than one persondoing the work. And while verbal support is nice, actual physical help is even better. Hopefully, this woman's husband has since adjusted his behavior.More uplifting stories:Fierce Mom Tackles Man Peeping Into 15-Year-Old’s Daughter’s BedroomBudget-Conscious Mom Gets Brutally Lunch-Shamed, Moms Step In To Defend HerMom Tells Son Not To Share With Other Kids And She Makes A Powerful PointWoman Finds Missing Child Using Tik Tok Hack All Parents Need To Know

How Jessica Chastain Helped Fellow Actress Octavia Spencer Earn 5 Times Her Salary
Motivation

How Jessica Chastain Helped Fellow Actress Octavia Spencer Earn 5 Times Her Salary

Before winning the Oscar for best supporting actress for 2011's "The Help," actress Octavia Spencer was offered five times less money than costar Jessica Chastain for the role. Then, Chastain stepped in.She's walking the walkJessica Chastain is a staunch advocate for pay equity between men and women, and she happened to be chatting about it with fellow actress Octavia Spencer before they agreed to work on the movie together. "Here's the thing," Spencer told Chastain, according to BBC News. "Women of color on that spectrum, we make far less than white women. So if we're going to have that conversation, we've got to bring the women of color to the table."Octavia Spencer. Chastain was unaware that Spencer, who went on to win an Oscar for her role, was offered five times less money than she was. So she said: "Octavia -- we're going to get you paid on this film."With tears in her eyes, Spencer said she was extremely appreciative of Chastain's support. "I love that woman, because she's walking the walk and she's actually talking the talk."Octavia Spencer "[Chastain] said: 'You and I are going to be tied together. We're going to be favored nations and we're going to make the same thing, you are going to make that amount," Spencer said. "Fast forward to last week, we're making five times what we asked for."After making what her white costars made, Spencer said she wants actresses to earn as much as actors do."Now I want to go to what the men are making," she said. "I want to get there."Continuing the fightRecently, Chastain has continued her work advocating for pay equity. She founded her own production company, Freckle Films, which helps actresses earn a portion of the box office revenue. "A lot of times, our names are used to sell movies, and that's how the money is raised for them," Jessica told Shape. "So I thought, If our names are being sold, then we need to be the owners of the film."For upcoming film The 355, Chastain approached costars Lupita Nyong'o, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz, and Fan Bingbing, "If you do this movie, you're going to have to agree to sell it, because you will be an owner. We're going to sell the distribution rights to raise the budget for the film, and then everyone owns a portion of the box office," she recalled.The actresses all agreed, and the film rights sold. "I don't know if anything like this has been done before, and honestly, I'm a bit shocked I got away with it," Jessica said. "But hopefully it creates a new model in which artists can own their work."Chastain added that she doesn't love to talk about her advocacy because equality should already be a thing in 2021."When it comes to fighting for pay equality, I would rather just do it and not talk about it," she told Shape. "I think it's actually more powerful if I don't have to explain it."How to be an allyWhile Chastain shouldn't have to speak out, it's certainly helpful if she does. Many people don't know how they can be an ally (hint: it's more than posting black squares). Chastain proves that being an ally involves speaking out and sometimes putting your own career at risk to help others. Hopefully, others in power will follow her lead.More celebrity stories:Why We Need To Talk About Keanu Reeves’ Girlfriend Alexandra GrantWhat Finally Convinced Jennifer Lopez That She Needed A Divorce From Marc AnthonyWhy Shakira and Gerard Piqué Are Proud To Be An Unconventional CoupleHow Hailey Baldwin Dealt With Being In A Love Triangle Involving Selena Gomez

CEO Quits To Focus On Wife's Career, Destroys Misconceptions About Love And Success
Motivation

CEO Quits To Focus On Wife's Career, Destroys Misconceptions About Love And Success

The co-chief executive officer for Europe's largest online fashion retailer just flipped stereotypical gender roles on their head. He announced this week that he'll step down to allow his wife's career to flourish and to focus on his family.A decision with impactRubin Ritter, 38, has had an extremely successful career thus far. Since becoming the co-chief executive of Zalando in 2010, he's helped the Berlin-based startup grow to dominate online fashion sales in Europe, raking in €6.5 billion ($7.88 billion) in revenue last year, according to BBC. Personally, Ritter made €6.8 million ($8.3 million) in 2019 and €20.2 million ($24.5 million) in 2018. But he's decided to cut his contract by three years to focus on his family. “My decision is the result of many months of careful consideration," Ritter wrote in a statement." "I want to devote more time to my growing family. My wife and I have agreed that for the coming years, her professional ambitions should take priority."Rubin RitterA positive force in the companyJudging by this news, Ritter and his wife appear to have a strong and supportive relationship, but unfortunately we don't know much about her.The company didn't name Ritter's wife or say what she does for work, but it did say the couple has one child and is expecting another in early 2021."It is impossible to overstate Rubin’s impact on Zalando’s success," said co-CEO Robert Gentz, who will continue leading the company alongside David Schneider. "We will miss him dearly as a strategic thinker and leader.”Chairperson of the supervisory board, Cristina Stenbeck, said the baord "clearly regrets Rubin’s decision," but they "have the highest respect for the underlying personal motivation" behind it.The company plans to improve its diversityInterestingly, despite Ritter's gender role-smashing decision, the company has work to do when it comes to equality.Currently, no women sit on Zalando's management board and men at the company make 22% more than women do, according to BBC. However, Ritter wrote in a report that the company plans to make improvements by 2023."While transformation takes time, and we are still at the beginning of our journey, our progress indicates that we are moving in the right direction," Mr Ritter said.Challenging misconceptionsFor so long, men were expected to go to work while women stayed home and took care of the kids. No longer. There's a female US vice president now and more and more fierce women are taking leadership roles at companies across the globe. Of course, there is still work to do on the diversity and equality front. But that's why a decision like Ritter's is so critical. What he did proves the power of love in a relationship and that no decision is too big when it comes to supporting each other. More uplifting news:4 Years Ago, He Was Homeless–Today, He Bought His First HousePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For Others