A friend forwarded me a tweet. I’m not on Twitter, nowadays known as the X network. I prefer conversations to slogans. I prefer deeper discussions to exclamations. Even to tweets. But nothing against tweets. And nothing against men. This tweet was written by a man.
He expressed his opinion on the new Nobel laureate: “Claudia Dale Goldin, Nobel Prize in Economics. Madness. The worst choice since Myrdal. Zero science. This lady describes economic development in the gender gap.” Another user, a man, agrees in an earthy way, and the whole group agrees that the world is crazy.
I smiled.
It’s really a bit crazy.
After all, Goldin is only the third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. It has been awarded since 1969, but the ratio of awarded women to men is not better in other fields either. But you didn’t expect that, did you?
Nobel Prizes have been awarded since 1901, and hundreds of laureates have received them to this day, with women representing only about six percent of them. It’s still hard for us to break through. Not because women aren’t talented, but because they are often overlooked in a male-dominated environment, and most women prefer family over career.
This seventy-seven-year-old Harvard professor reveals deep inequalities in the labor market and emphasizes the special importance of parenthood in relation to gender wage gaps. Her insights have always offered a detailed view of how gender norms and expectations shape the professional lives of many women. According to her, we will never achieve gender equality or reduce wage gaps until we achieve equality in partnerships. Period.
She also emphasizes how the modern labor market fundamentally disadvantages mothers seeking a balance between professional and family life. If, at a certain stage of life, you prioritize parenthood and interrupt your career to care for children, in economically advanced countries, it logically means earning less than men when you return to the workplace. And it’s done. Forever. Before you look around the job market again, you often only see a departing train and have to wait for the next one. And you not only miss out on financial advantages but also connections in the field. From cribs and toy boxes, it’s hard to fully monitor its development. By the way, Claudia is childless.
Companies want employees who will always be available and time-flexible, putting mothers at a disadvantage compared to men. Let’s be honest, who most often stays home with a sick child? In most cases, it’s mom, making her uncertain and somewhat unreliable to employers. This often drags on for the rest of her career, reflecting in lower pay and lower position.
If one of the main messages from Claudia Goldin is that parenthood, specifically interrupting a career for childcare, is a key factor in the wage gap, it’s something for us to reflect on. It’s not just about one tweet. It’s not just about one article I’m trying to write and summarize everything that inspires me about Goldin. Let me allow a conclusion. We will really have to fundamentally reconsider how we support parents in the workplace. Otherwise, we won’t move. Reassessing the relationships between family life, career, and the economic position of women in society.
In a society where 51% of investments go into women’s education. I add. With the naked eye, we see total inefficiency. And when I see inefficiency, it can drive me crazy. So, I apologize for writing it, perhaps a bit strongly.
And about that tweet. Surprisingly, another male user added to the discussion: “You guys are really made of spare parts.”
I apologize, but I must admit that it amused me. At least we have one ally with Goldin. Will you join?
Ivana Tykač,
