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School closures: Thousands of women have just had their double shift doubled

181 replies

Carefulvulvadriver · 30/12/2020 19:55

What should the feminist response to the above be? Yes yes, of course fathers should do their share of the home school and childcare, but we know many dont and wont, and that still leaves a problem for single mothers like me.
This afternoon the government has announced that 100s of primary schools across the country will not reopen as planned in January. I suspect many more will be added to the list over the next week or so.
We know that will leave 1000s of women once again having to juggle work, childcare and home school. They will feel the stress and hit to their mental health of trying to do that. They will miss out on promotions, pay rises and opportunities as a result. They will have to cancel study plans. Many will work until 3am each morning as the only chance they will have to work will be after the kids have gone to bed. And as ever, it will be the poorest women who will be the worst hit, as will their kids. Some men will suffer from this too, but it will disproportionately hit women.

How should feminists respond? Surely this IS a feminist issue - it's about how social policy and our economic way of life has not been designed with women in mind. The woman stuff - the looking after children and educating them - is somehow to be tagged on as an after thought; the work and time to be magic-ed out of thin air, as it's only the man stuff that counts or is important.

In my view we should be demanding paid parenting leave, funded by the government. I think we should also be putting pressure on the government to confirm it will run "catch up" schools in the summer holidays for the kids who have missed out on education (there will be a problem getting the staffing, although I wonder if TAs might be available as I know that in some cases they are on zero hour contracts and so not paid in the holidays).

What else? Any one got any ideas? And what if we dont get it? Will we just do what so many of us did back in spring (me included) and just suck it up? I love my job, I'm lucky that it's really fulfilling, but isnt it time we refused to do the impossible?

OP posts:
ChattyLion · 31/12/2020 12:41

www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30568-5/fulltext
One of many articles on women around the world bearing the brunt globally.

www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/report/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women-en-1.pdf

Some sensible UN suggestions for making better policy in this area- including the (apparently quite challenging for some) idea, that women should be involved in policy decision making around Covid19 ...Hmm

SnowyWiseOwlWan · 31/12/2020 12:37

It is hard to do that after your dc born

Femin1st · 31/12/2020 12:37

Ok, so I want to do the petition thing. I've not done one before so dont really know if I have phrased this right (the guidance is here: petition.parliament.uk/help)

10k signatures and the gov has to respond. 100k signatures and Parliament almost always debates it (or incorporates it into another debate already scheduled).

Here is my draft:

"While school closures may be absolutely necessary to slow the spread of corona virus, experience during the first lock down tells us the impact of closures will be felt most by women and children, and particularly single parents and households on low or insecure incomes.
We are calling for Parliament to debate measures to recognise and recompense the physical and emotional cost of home schooling on parents and children through:

  1. The introduction of a home schooling allowance paid by government to affected parents;
  2. The commitment of extra central government resources now for catch up schools and educational provision to be available during the summer holiday, targeted at children who have been most disadvantaged;
  3. The development of statutory guidance to employers on flexible working for parents, including a requirement for large employers to undertake and publish an impact assessment this time next year to assess the impact corona virus has had on the sex and gender inequalities in their work place, including progression, access to career development and pay."

Probably a bad idea to try and get anything finely drafted here by committee, but does anyone have thoughts on refining this? Have I accidentally put something awful or misleading in there? The standards say you need to specifically ask Parliament or Gov to do something, so my "something" here is to debate it - I thought that best as it means multiple solutions can be put forward (because I'm not sure any solutions arent without a downside somewhere or other - as discussed here).

To get it going I need to put my actual real life name to it, which is why this a burner username. I need 5 co-signatures (not sure they need to be public). If anyone wants to private message me maybe we can work out how that happens, although I should know at least 5 like minded women I can call on for that. Also, if there is anyone on here who would actually like to put the petition in their own name, then please let me know as it's not something I relish.

Wearywithteens · 31/12/2020 12:37

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

ArabellaScott · 31/12/2020 12:36

Thanks for the links. Useful evidence. Now unsure whether its better to make a pitch for work when I may not be able to deliver, or to abandon all work plans until further notice. Sad

SueEllenMishke · 31/12/2020 12:36

@Sexnotgender

I’m sure I saw an article in the last lockdown that said that academic papers submitted by women had dropped to virtually nil but men’s submissions had actually gone UP! I’ll see if I can find it.
This true. My university is really concerned about this and is trying to ensure women have additional support as publications are directly linked to promotions. They're concerned about the longer term impact on women's careers.
SnowyWiseOwlWan · 31/12/2020 12:36

Yes, it is a feminist issue. Im thanking my "lucky" stars that my kids are almost 15 and 18 because if this had happened when i first managed to get back to work (and that was v hard) i would have just lost the job shortly after finding it. Being a single parent, i could have spent my whole life (after parenthood) on benefits. And if you think that sounds too dramatic, you havent job searched at 47. The ageism is unbelievable. I would not like to be job searching now at 50 in a recession. Thank god i have a secure job. I feel terrible for single mothers where i was 5 years ago

SueEllenMishke · 31/12/2020 12:33

[quote ChattyLion]This academic thinks it’s a feminist issue:
www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2020/hss/when-women-bear-the-brunt-of-lockdowns-is-it-feminist-to-support-another.html[/quote]
This article is spot on.

Anyone pushing for further lockdowns should read this.

Sexnotgender · 31/12/2020 12:32

I’m sure I saw an article in the last lockdown that said that academic papers submitted by women had dropped to virtually nil but men’s submissions had actually gone UP! I’ll see if I can find it.

ChattyLion · 31/12/2020 12:30

This academic interviewed women over lockdown and found they were bearing the burden disproportionately www.hud.ac.uk/news/2020/september/women-bear-the-brunt-of-covid-and-lockdown/

Sexnotgender · 31/12/2020 12:30

@ChattyLion

I’ve been looking at think tanks’ websites like the IPPR policy exchange, and .. nothing on this issue of women’s work and health being jeopardised by school closures that I can see. Hmm
Oh gosh, I’m shocked!
ChattyLion · 31/12/2020 12:28

This academic thinks it’s a feminist issue:
www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2020/hss/when-women-bear-the-brunt-of-lockdowns-is-it-feminist-to-support-another.html

ScottishBetty · 31/12/2020 12:27

Agree it's a feminist issue. In Scotland here and nursery is closed, so not sure what to do with my 11 month old while trying to work. My partner probably does more than 50% of the childcare in his defence, but he can't take time off work (no holidays and don't get sick pay), is the main breadwinner, and his job is very unforgiving of not giving it his full attention, so I'm going to have to somehow juggle childcare and work 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'll probably just end up doing a shit job of both and feeling like crap

SosYourFace · 31/12/2020 12:27

Agree. I have a career of my own but my husband is in construction and works long hours outside of the home and also isn’t as academic as I am so education and childcare all falls to me on top of my job. I’m also studying for my Msc, thankfully not starting up again until the end of January but holding things together this year has almost broken me, I’m dreading January.

Grellbunt · 31/12/2020 12:25

@Yohoheaveho

And we need to legislate somehow so that men are automatically disadvantaged by having children in exactly the same way women are, because it's only when they have to deal with that will we get anywhere I agree but I fear the most likely upshot would be men refusing to become parents They will do anything they can to wriggle out of taking the hit!
Many many men already opt out of parenting - financially and in terms of emotional / caring labour. There is NO real penalty for them in doing so.
ChattyLion · 31/12/2020 12:22

I’ve been looking at think tanks’ websites like the IPPR policy exchange, and .. nothing on this issue of women’s work and health being jeopardised by school closures that I can see. Hmm

JollyYellaHumberElla · 31/12/2020 12:20

It has made me consider how to talk to my own dc about this in future.

When I talked about having kids/career with my Mum and dh it was all ‘new generation yes choicy choicy yes you go for it’.

I think I will be being honest with my older children now, that inequality is real and as long as it continues to exist the impact will be on women.

Annasgirl · 31/12/2020 12:19

I think we have hit the nail on the head in this thread - the greatest failure of feminism - the devaluing of motherhood. And I am a feminist, who is a mother and who took time out to be a SAHP to my children - I am still a feminist and I took the time out because DH and I had money saved from our careers to date to do so.

I think all women and men need to be re-educated on the absolute essential value of motherhood / parenthood (many men at my DC's primary school are SAHP - it is not a gender issue, it is a parenting issue) and this needs to be a protected structure in society.

I also disagree with the societal presumption that children's education is effectively "free childcare" since I do not believe that parents can use school time as childcare - we all need to have a back-up - why should teachers be our childminders?

I am not blaming women here - I am blaming society (mostly men) and some women (even on here) who point to "oh your youngest is in school so go and get a job now" - every parent who works should have a reliable source of childcare - that is NOT a school.

Perhaps the best thing to come out of Covid for women is for us to realise that there is no such thing as equality for women - the advantages are still all with men. So anyone who says there is no longer a need for feminism has not been paying attention.

HecatesCats · 31/12/2020 12:12

@ChattyLion

Universal parental income and ‘mother’ as a protected characteristic are both very interesting ideas, I would love to see if any of the think tanks or government departments (not likely!) are working on any of this stuff.

Also agree with the petition being developed.
I would sign up to all of that.

Y, Y, but also doubt it. Why look a gift horse in the mouth?
Yohoheaveho · 31/12/2020 12:01

And we need to legislate somehow so that men are automatically disadvantaged by having children in exactly the same way women are, because it's only when they have to deal with that will we get anywhere
I agree but I fear the most likely upshot would be men refusing to become parents
They will do anything they can to wriggle out of taking the hit!

ChattyLion · 31/12/2020 11:48

Universal parental income and ‘mother’ as a protected characteristic are both very interesting ideas, I would love to see if any of the think tanks or government departments (not likely!) are working on any of this stuff.

Also agree with the petition being developed.
I would sign up to all of that.

Grellbunt · 31/12/2020 11:32

@IfNotNow12

The idea of mothering becoming a protected category is quite interesting. Imagine how just that one thing would revolutionise how women who have children are viewed in the workplace, never mind wider society. See, I think that would make thigs MORE unequal, in the same way that I think the extending of mat leave did for women. When I had my dc it was 6 months-now a year is pretty standard. Whilst it's tough going back to work with a young baby, it does prevent the woman in the relationship getting stuck in that role for too long-stuck with ALL the housework, all the shopping and whatnot. I think, rather than make more allowances for the way women's lives currently go, we should be putting the spotlight on men, and what is expected of them in terms of parental leave and childcare. Hell, even sorting out child support would be a great start. I don't want "women's work" to be protected, I want it to be smashed to pieces and shared out equally.
Yeah but what are you going to do in the meantime? Fact is women are doing it and it won’t change that quickly so we have to protect those women.
SueEllenMishke · 31/12/2020 11:27

This absolutely is an issue. A very worrying one too.
All the research has shown that the pandemic is disproportionately affecting women and their participation in labour market.

It's not really about men not pulling their weight - in some cases yes, but not overwhelmingly.
It's far more to do with who is the bigger earner and societal expectations on the role of men and women at work and at home.

It won't stop them getting jobs - no one gets a job based on grades - it's on interview performance/references

This is completely incorrect. I say that as an experience, qualified careers adviser and someone who researches the labour market.

IfNotNow12 · 31/12/2020 11:26

The idea of mothering becoming a protected category is quite interesting. Imagine how just that one thing would revolutionise how women who have children are viewed in the workplace, never mind wider society.
See, I think that would make thigs MORE unequal, in the same way that I think the extending of mat leave did for women. When I had my dc it was 6 months-now a year is pretty standard. Whilst it's tough going back to work with a young baby, it does prevent the woman in the relationship getting stuck in that role for too long-stuck with ALL the housework, all the shopping and whatnot. I think, rather than make more allowances for the way women's lives currently go, we should be putting the spotlight on men, and what is expected of them in terms of parental leave and childcare. Hell, even sorting out child support would be a great start.
I don't want "women's work" to be protected, I want it to be smashed to pieces and shared out equally.

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