August 27, 2021: Looking beyond COVID for women everywhere

We need to talk about how the pandemic will impact women, more than anyone.

In most parts of the country right now, the pandemic feels far from over. But with reports of women in the workplace being disproportionately impacted, it's important to start the conversation about how women will emerge from this year sooner than later.

We don't need to watch the news to know...
Research shows that the pandemic is taking a toll on women's work, health, and home life — even the most successful women. (Shocker, right?)

One of the clearest examples of how the pandemic has impacted women is the COVID baby bust. Remember back when lots of pundits thought that staying at home would result in more babies? What we actually are seeing is the opposite. According to research, this is because people usually don’t try to conceive babies when they’re stuck at home together; they try to conceive when they are confident that they will have the social support and material resources they need to parent well. Something that has been lacking throughout the pandemic.

The reality is that the lion’s share of daily stress resulting from this pandemic often falls on the shoulders of women. Shifting the way we approach career and domestic responsibilities starts with choosing solidarity over gender norms — whether at home with your spouse or in structures at work.

Middle school came to an end - and one day the pandemic will, too.
What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. So we're already thinking about a few ways to move forward. In fact, women might be in a unique position to bring healing to a post-pandemic world, with mercy, empathy, and the ability to see people as more than an ideology.

Moving forward could be in little ways, like planning a new makeup and skincare routine for post-mask life. Or big ways, like advocating for policy changes at work to better support women in this new era.  

Planning ahead for a return to the office can make for a better work-life balance and help make up for lost connections at work.

One thing we know for sure
Whether it's navigating crisis, or the plans to rebuild, women leaders are here to stay.

Here are a few other top picks for the week...

WATCH: Webinar: "Vaccination is a Life Issue"
The LMU Center for Religion and Spirituality is hosting an important discussion about the COVID-19 vaccine from a Catholic perspective, featuring a panel of experts and moderated by New York Times best-selling author Jeannie Gaffigan.

READ: Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? (And Other Concerns)
If you're missing drama from the "before times," pick up this hilarious memoir by Mindy Kaling. She'll have you laughing like it's 2013 with her fun and relatable approach to friendship, romance, and more.

LISTEN: The Glass Cliff
In this episode of 'The New Way We Work,' researcher Michelle Ryan shares what we need to know about the "glass cliff" — a phenomenon where women are elevated to positions of power when things are going poorly, and therefore put in a situation where they have a greater likelihood to fail.