The news of the breakup of celebrities surprised many. It was believed that the Gates — the main example of the fact that a long and happy marriage is possible, even if in addition to children, you are involved in multibillion-dollar business and charity. So why did the marriage come to an end and what will happen to Bill and Melinda’s common cause now?
Bill Gates and Melinda French met in 1987 at a business dinner at Microsoft. Then the 23-year-old girl, who had just received her first job, attracted the attention of her future husband with her love for puzzles and the fact that she was able to beat him in a mathematical game. In 1994, the couple got married, and after 27 years of marriage, on May 3, 2021, they announced their impending divorce.
“After much deliberation and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. In 27 years, we have raised three wonderful children and created a foundation that helps people around the world live healthy and productive lives,” said the couple.
Probably, in order to prevent gossip and fiction about the reason for the divorce (for example, about the appearance of a third person in a relationship), they emphasized in advance that they were breaking up due to the fact that their relationship had outlived its usefulness: “We no longer believe that we can develop together as a couple for the next phase of our lives.»
Many were upset by the news of the collapse of an exemplary family, which was able to find a balance between personal life, a multi-billion dollar business and social work. But the main question now hanging in the air is what will happen to the fourth “child” of the Gates, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which deals with health, poverty reduction and other social issues?
Melinda Gates and the fight for women’s rights
Although the couple have stated that they will continue to work together, many suggest that Melinda Gates will organize her own foundation. She already has experience: in 2015, she founded Pivotal Ventures, an investment fund focused on helping women.
Melinda Gates was once the only woman in the first MBA stream at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Later, she began working in a field that had been closed to girls for a long time. After 9 years, she became the general manager of information products and left her job to focus on her family.
Melinda Gates has been actively fighting for women’s rights for many years. Today we publish the brightest of her statements on this topic.
“Being a feminist means believing that every woman should be able to use her voice and fulfill her potential. To believe that women and men must work together to break down the barriers and end the prejudices that still hold women back.”
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“As women gain their rights, families and societies begin to flourish. This connection is based on a simple truth: whenever you include a previously excluded group in society, you benefit everyone. Women’s rights, the health and well-being of society are developing simultaneously.»
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“When women can decide whether to have children (and if so, when), it saves lives, promotes health, expands educational opportunities and contributes to the prosperity of society. Regardless of which country in the world we are talking about.”
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“For me, the goal is not the “rise” of women and at the same time the overthrow of men. It’s a shared journey from fighting for dominance to partnership.»
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“That’s why we women need to support each other. Not to replace men at the top of the hierarchy, but to become partners with men in breaking down that hierarchy.”