The Maternal Wall

Abstract

Although the economic and social position of women has improved considerably in the last decades, some gendered expectations and roles have proved remarkably resilient. Increasingly, the gender gap in compensation has become an issue of “mother” versus “other,” as, for example, working mothers earn 60% of what working fathers earn. Conservatives tend to frame the gender imbalance in terms of women's choices; but feminists, including those in this issue, debunk explanations that blame women for gender differences in earnings. Contributors to this issue, whose work we introduce here, chronicle and analyze the power of stereotypic thinking and behavior, and also discuss how to change both stereotypes and realities.

Do Young Women Expect Gender Equality in Their Future Lives? An Answer From a Possible Selves Experiment

“…Despite the negative effects that leaving the workforce can have on careers and subsequent salaries and advancement (Hewlett, 2007), people view women with young children as less communal and more selfish if they are employed compared with not employed (Bridges & Etaugh, 1995; see also Crosby, Williams, & Biernat, 2004). Therefore, employed mothers of young children may feel that they are not adequate mothers and opt to quit their jobs to have more time for their children, if their economic circumstances allow this choice.…”

Practicing what we teach? An autobiographical reflection on navigating academia as a single mother

“…Wanting to make a difference in the structure of the academy, I feel the need to identify myself as a single mother to others. By ''outing'' myself as a single mother to students and colleagues, and by advocating for changes to the ivory tower that hinder the ability of single mothers to contribute to the profession, perhaps I can serve as a positive role model to my students who are single mothers, and help-in some small way-to deconstruct institutionalized sexism, the ''maternal wall'' that hinders mother's success at work (Crosby, Williams, & Biernat, 2004), and serve as a model oppositional to mommy-tracking. However, at the same time, I remain fearful of giving others the impression that my single motherhood status serves as an excuse for ill performance, or demands that exceptions be made specifically for me.…”

Combining Work and Family: From Conflict to Compatible

“…This differential is not entirely about gender; it might be better described as a "mommy gap" (that is, the difference in wages between women with and without children), which continues to widen rather than narrow (Waldfogel, 1998). Working mothers earn 60% of what working fathers earn (Crosby, Williams, & Biernat, 2004) and it is estimated that the wage penalty for motherhood is approximately 7% per child (Budig & England, 2001).…”