Medium author, Jessica Valenti takes a close look at new statistics and comes to a conclusion some working moms might have predicted:
In her recent article, subtitled Stop blaming motherhood for a problem created by fathers, Valenti presents that [s]tudies from 2017 led some analysts to come to the conclusion that the wage gap was almost entirely attributable to motherhood. Men, on the other hand, tend to see more money once they have children.
Studies also show that fathers continue to have significantly more leisure time than mothers and that mothers use their off time to do chores and child care while fathers use time off for hobbies and relaxing. This, too, is about careers: We know that people who have more leisure time and time for creative activities tend to perform better at work.
The real problem, Valenti asserts, is...that there’s no chance of equality at work while there’s inequality at home.
If workplace equality is our goal, what are our next steps? The TAG Family Leave Subcommittee proposes this plan of action:
- Support family leave for ALL parents and caregivers at your studio. How does your crew react when a co-worker requests leave? If it isn't positive, help brainstorm how to fix that. Contact your shop steward for support.
- Support your studio in maintaining quality nursing room facilities for working moms. Does your studio have a nursing room? Have you noticed moms forced to use bathrooms as lactation accommodations? Point this out to your studio's HR dept. or talk with your shop steward. The Animation Guild will work with your studio to establish a safe and healthy nursing room option.
- Support equal opportunity caregiving. Does your studio offer diaper changing stations in men's, women's, and gender neutral bathrooms? If not, submit a request or talk with your shop steward about possible improvements.
Together, we can achieve workplace equality.
#animationisfamily
No comments:
Post a Comment