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Today on #ThisMatters, I spoke with @sabaeitizaz about what some people are calling the “She-Cession”: the fact that women, especially women of colour, have felt a greater economic impact due to COVID-19 than men have. https://www.thestar.com/podcasts/thismatters/2020/09/16/how-covid-19-has-disproportionately-affected-women.html
When the pandemic began, data shows women lost almost twice as many jobs or hours as men. As the economy began to pick back up, men recovered those jobs at a higher rate than women. The disparity is even higher for marginalized women, such as racialized women or women of colour.
One reason for this is that women, especially racialized women, are over-represented in the industries hit hardest by the pandemic, like hospitality or care.
But women are also being pulled back by the responsibilities of the home — undoing decades of progress in the workplace.
But women are also being pulled back by the responsibilities of the home — undoing decades of progress in the workplace.
To prevent this economic impact from permanence, experts say intervention is needed. Among the recommendations from experts and advocates is universal and affordable childcare.
This pandemic has highlighted two things. 1, our progress for equity in the workplace has not been universal, and marginalized women have not seen the same gains white women have.
2, if one crisis can undo decades of progress, maybe we weren’t as far along as we thought we were.
