The American Workforce Loves Women but Hates Mothers

Women have made impressive strides in workplace equality. Within the last century, women have transitioned from strictly doing so-called women’s work — caretaking and housemaking — to being full-time industry professionals. But although the landscape of women’s career choices has expanded massively, opportunities and support for mothers in the workforce continue to be neglected. 

In the current U.S. work model, top employees are expected to demonstrate a “work to live” mentality, according to the Berkeley Economic Review. This means round-the-clock availability, prioritizing work over familial life and career progression in the name of productivity. 

This structure presents inherent barriers to mothers balancing parenting and career ambition —  a phenomenon dubbed The Motherhood Penalty, according to the American Association of University Women. Mothers are less likely to be hired and more likely to be overlooked for major promotions.

Approximately 71% of women continue working after having children, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While previous generations expected women to raise children while their husbands’ worked as the sole breadwinner, today 55% of  U.S. households rely on dual incomes to support themselves, according to Pew Research Center.

Even so, in heterosexual relationships, women spend up to 50% more time caregiving and three times as long on housework compared to men, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

In a work culture built so heavily on gender norms, many women feel obligated to sacrifice their career goals to live up to the standard of being a good mother. 

Some struggles of motherhood — such as unaffordable childcare and the uncertainty of parental leave — can fall similarly onto fathers. Yet unlike women, fatherhood can often boost a man’s career progression. Michelle Budig, a sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts, found in a 2014 study men average a 6% increase in earnings after having children.

Based on an outdated model of how work life and family life intersect, mothers can feel pressured to prioritize parenthood while fathers receive praise and a pay bump for being providers. The heart of the issue is an imbalance in the choices offered to men and women.

While the impacts of motherhood may appear far-off and systemic, the effects appear within Loyola’s faculty. Emily Cain, associate professor of Christianity in Loyola’s theology department, said she is navigating the university’s support systems as a soon-to-be mother.

“When you’re on the tenure track, you have the option to delay your tenure by a year to make up for the time spent raising a child,” Cain said. “It’s definitely a pro, but it’s also a con because it delays promotion, it delays raises, so there are some lost wages and things that will reverberate throughout your career.”

Cain’s point reflects a fundamental truth — parenting takes time and can feel like a full-time job. Having a child will inevitably slow career growth and deter one’s ability to move up even with access to abundant resources. Regardless, the maternal-specific wall to career progression indicates the issue stems from more than simple time management. 

Mothers across the globe are voicing their desire for better governmental support. In October 2022, 11 U.K. cities joined together in the March of Mummies protest to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the current childcare system. 

So what can the government do? Flexible hours, subsidized child care and equal parental-leave benefits stand out as the protestors’ top petitions. 

In March 2023, President Joe Biden proposed his federal paid family and medical leave plan. The proposition would devote $365 billion towards 12 paid weeks off for new parents and workers caring for sick family members or themselves. 

As one of few major economies without national paid leave, this proposition would increase accessibility to worker leave benefits in America while reducing the financial burden on employers. 

While Vice President Kamala Harris has said she plans to build on the Biden administration’s agenda, the passage of the program is uncertain with a divided Congress and previous proposals for a national paid leave program having gone nowhere, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

While both Harris and former President Donald Trump have pushed for child tax credits as part of their campaigns, their aims differ. Harris’ plan includes anti-poverty measures which would act as a safety net for low-income parents. Trump’s initiative would solely benefit high-income families, as the program denies full benefits to those who earn too little to benefit from a tax cut. 

Considering the experience of motherhood often brings a myriad of penalties to career and leadership opportunities, supporting government leaders who advocate for lower childcare costs and increased parental leave is a surefire way to provide relief to working parents. 

As evolving gender norms increase the share of mothers in the workforce, stereotypes about motherhood and leadership should be broken down for good.