Articles

I never really understood the phrase “the motherhood penalty” until I lived it. It sounded like one of those abstract feminist concepts, something you might read about in a policy paper or hear mentioned in a debate. But when I had my first child, the phrase took on a very real, very personal meaning. Suddenly, I felt like my career, my earnings, and even my sense of self had been hit with a price tag simply because I became a mother.

The gender pay gap in the UK reflects systemic inequalities shaped by workplace cultures, historic norms, care burdens, and policy gaps. When women earn less than men, it's not merely an economic statistic; it's a barrier to autonomy, opportunity, and long-term security.