Our friend Amy Nelson wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about her experience with the “maternal wall,” the barrier that both openly and subtly discriminates against mothers in the workplace. Amy points out that women are 15% less likely than men to be promoted– and a mother is even less likely to be promoted as a childless woman.
“We sent women to work in this country decades ago as we embraced feminism. History pretends that we invited them to the table. But actually, we let them into the room without giving them a seat, let alone a chance to sit down. This tightrope walk is nearly impossible: Forty-three percent of highly trained professional women with children leave the workforce at some point in their careers. The system is broken, and we know it. Yet we do nothing. Instead, we celebrate the woman who can juggle a career and children with grace, as if this is some sort of achievement. It shouldn’t have to be.”
Congrats Amy for writing so honestly about your experiences and we encourage our members tell us about when they hit the “maternal wall.” It’s something we all know about and the reason why many of our members join The Second Shift.