The article highlights the impact of menopause on women's health and careers, emphasizing the need for open conversations, supportive workplace policies, and better healthcare awareness to reduce the menopause penalty and retain women in the workforce.
A recent study reveals the steepest decline in mothers of young children participating in the U.S. workforce in over 40 years, primarily due to high childcare costs and lack of support, leading over 400,000 women to leave their jobs in the first half of 2025, with many citing the need to care for their children as the main reason.
Working mothers are leaving the workforce in large numbers due to return-to-office mandates, layoffs, and shifting workplace policies, erasing pandemic gains and impacting long-term earnings and career prospects, with disproportionate effects on Black women and those with caregiving responsibilities.
Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker faced backlash for his comments at Benedictine College, suggesting women should prioritize homemaking over professional careers. Despite criticism, Butker stands by his views, emphasizing freedom of religion. Career coach Phoebe Gavin and crisis PR expert Jessica Schaefer argue that women should have the freedom to choose their paths without judgment and that commencement speeches should inspire rather than push personal opinions. The NFL and Butker's teammates have distanced themselves from his remarks, while Benedictine College nuns also expressed disagreement.