Despite remarkable gains in education and employment, women are still shouldering the majority of household chores and childcare responsibilities. This has a real impact on their ability to pursue career opportunities with the same energy and focus as their male counterparts.
Utah is dead last for gender pay equality.
Gender bias shows up in many forms in the workplace. Working mothers aren’t offered the same opportunities for promotions as men, in part due to the benevolent sexism of the very men who should be their advocates.
I experienced this as a pregnant woman when I was pulled back from doing onsite fieldwork — the very work that my management had told me was necessary to gain the experience I needed for my next promotion. When I complained to management about the opportunities that were taken from me, I was told that my boss was just acting out of protective fatherly instincts.
Later, as the mom of a young child, I was questioned in an interview about my ability to take on a role with more responsibility. A younger, single man with less education and experience was awarded the position. When I followed up with the hiring manager to inquire about how I could improve my chances of being considered, his reply was, “more experience.”
One thing that each of these men I describe had in common — wives who stayed at home and ensured that they could pursue their careers without any distractions from home.
While I fully support the decisions that each family makes as to how they will distribute paid and unpaid labor, it’s not until men start doing their part at home that true equality in the workplace will be realized.
Sharon Costanzo, West Bountiful