Belkin: “The Opt-Out Revolution.” Flashcards
What is the trend we are seeing with young women with degrees?
They get degrees. They are recruited by top firms in all fields. They start strong out of the gate.
And then, suddenly, they stop.
Despite all those women graduating from law school, they comprise only 16 percent of partners in law firms
Women – specifically, educated professional women – were supposed to achieve like men but don’t
what is the maternal wall?
obstacles faced by mothers.
After birth many mothers stay home, take less hours, or never return to work
'’Many women never get near’’ that glass ceiling, because ‘‘they are stopped long before by the maternal wall.’’
What two things are motivating this issue?
It’s not just that the workplace has failed women.
It is also that women are rejecting the workplace.
How are women rejecting the workplace?
women look up at the ‘‘top,’’ they are increasingly deciding that they don’t want to do what it takes to get there
Instead of taking time away from their family in pursuit of success, women are redefining success. And in doing so, they are redefining work
What explains why women aren’t going back to work after having children?
They struggle doing both jobs: motherhood and career
She now cares full time for that eldest daughter, as well as the two children who followed.
‘‘I wish it had been possible to be the kind of parent I want to be and continue with my legal career,’’ she says, ‘‘but I wore myself out trying to do both jobs well.’’
How do these women describe their absence from work?
Distance themselves from title of housewife
Don’t want to think they’re in the same role as mother or grandmother
- Say it’s more of a pause
How does one woman explain the deferring of ambitious women to their husbands (staying home, while he gets to keep working)?
ambitious women seem to be attracted to ambitious men.
Then when they have children together, ‘‘someone has to become less ambitious.’’
And right now, it tends to be the woman who makes that choice
Why does the author argue: that it is important for the workplace to have women?
they are more willing to leave than men. That, in turn, makes employers work harder to keep them.
Employers need to offer flexible schedules to ensure they retain women (mostly mothers)
This flexibility offers advantages for other employees as well
Ex:
- hired a husband and wife to fill one neonatology job, with a shared salary and shared health insurance, then let them decide who stays home and who comes to the hospital on any given day.
