Mother’s Day is Sunday. I am not going to write a heartfelt piece about the joys of being a mom. For the record, I totally feel and experience said joys on a daily basis. This is in service of moms at large and the pressures we feel about the effects that the pandemic has had on our careers.
I can’t click my iPhone without being reminded how the pandemic has decimated women’s careers and wellbeing. I find the media relentless in reminding us daily with a bullhorn that approximately 2 million women have left the workforce. Surprise! It was women who scaled back their hours and income to address the homeschooling and child care situations. Get this pos newsflash, some women just flat out lost their jobs. How about this bonus factoid… The pandemic set women back 30 years in the workplace. Last, but not least, the media never forgets to remind us that the only thing we gained last year was weight.
Listen-up Media! We are aware of all these points already. I need you to pivot. Seriously, turn this ship around right now. If you take this Laura Loving Middle Age Mom Call to Arms, I guarantee that you will see a big return for your efforts. This is the feminist issue of our time and it needs a patron saint.
Ronan Farrow, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey totally saved our keisters regarding sexual assault in the workplace. Now, you can be an advocate for women’s triumphant return to work. The rewards and accolades of your dreams are only a few keystrokes away. Can you say Pulitzer Prize? Which one of you is going to step forward and champion the challenges you have so nicely laid before us Ad infinitum.
You may defend yourself by saying that you are just raising awareness. Mission accomplished. Now, get creative! Put companies and policy makers in the hot seat. Interview every Fortune 500 CEO and ask them how they plan to hire back the women they lost during the pandemic? What are new government policies to address pay equity so that moms can afford to return to work? What human resources visionary is creating new norms like “hiring moms/women is good for business”? We know it is. Moms can do like 4 hours of work in about 45 minutes. Moms are also gifted with handling crises and emergencies and we all know that Corporate America is chock-full of those. Ever see a mom handle a diarrhea situation in the Chunnel between Paris and London with only one diaper and a sweet disposition? Warren Buffett and Bill Gates would kill to have that kind of ingenuity on their team.
Hiring women is a no brainer. Making the workplace more friendly for families should be front page news and companies that lead the way should be rewarded. Hey, Wall Street! Here’s a new value proposition to invest in… B⭐️ tches before Bitcoin!
If you are a person with power in journalism, the work force or some highfalutin board of trustees member deciding the fate of the world. Level-up for women and blaze a trail in this movement. HIRE MOMS! The data is going to blow your mind. We can do anything and it’s about time you noticed. Happy Mother’s Day!