There’s an Eruption in My Living Room! The Care Economy, Part 2
Release Date: 09/01/2022
Beyond Snips and Snails: The Stereotypes That Trap Us All
Parity Podcast
From "sugar and spice" to "snips and snails," we're handed gender roles before we can walk -- and those early scripts follow us straight into the workplace. While the stereotypes concerning women in the work place are generally well-known (think "less ambitious" or "emotional"), there are plenty of misplaced stereotypes to go around. Until we stop telling women to be nice and men to be tough, these old notions of "appropriate" gender behavior will continue to box us all in. This episode discusses the challenge for women in abandoning stereotypes for men. This episode also breaks down the...
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Stones in the Road
Parity Podcast
Women aren't less ambitious as some have recently suggested - they're navigating a rocky path and workplaces that make ambition harder to express and success harder to find. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah break down the 2025 Women in the Workplace report with their signature mix of humor, data, and straight talk. From the broken rung to sponsorship gaps, AI inequities, flexibility stigma, and the invisible weight of caregiving, they unpack what's continuing to obstruct the path for women - and why the "ambition gap" narrative misses the point. They also share practical steps leaders and...
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Women Are Not Ruining the Workplace
Parity Podcast
The Oxford word of the year in 2025 was "rage bait." Is that why 2025 brought us opinion pieces asking whether women were ruining the workplace? In this Episode 3, Cathy and Deborah discuss how to avoid taking the bait, by relying on the clear evidence of women's contributions to an improved workplace for all. They also reveal what they wish for in 2026.
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Dr. Ron Levant and the Psychology of Men
Parity Podcast
In this interview with psychologist and prolific author Dr. Ron Levant, Cathy and Deborah discuss his new book, The Problem with Men. From delinquency to the President of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Levant shares his own experience, including the role abuse and forced male stereotypes played in his life, and how he reached beyond. According to Dr. Levant, when boys receive the message early on that "girls are less than boys," misogyny can take root. Listen in for his thoughts on how we can take the pressure off men to conform and free up space for men and women to engage with...
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HELP!
Parity Podcast
In the Season 5 Opener of the Parity Podcast, Cathy and Deborah share their candid assessment of parity today from the bottom of the hole it has seemingly fallen into - along with them (HELP!). Forever focused on solutions, they propose we all work harder to have conversations where everyone is invited to contribute to the project of creating a better workplace. In that spirit, Cathy and Deborah revisit the Parity Prescription and discuss how to improve upon the approach toward achieving real progress. Spoiler alert - let's please be done with stereotypes.
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Stretch, Seek Sponsorship, Succeed: Women's Guide to Experience Capital
Parity Podcast
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah dive into the concept of experience capital, explaining how it plays a pivotal role in career advancement. They explore why it's not just about doing good work, but also about strategically positioning yourself through stretch assignments, developing strong sponsorship relationships, and building the right networks. Together, they share actionable tips on how to steer your career growth and set yourself up for greater success by seizing upon opportunities, raising your hand for the tough assignments, and actively building relationships...
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Are You Ambitious? You're Not Alone.
Parity Podcast
In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss the lesser known fact that women are, on balance, every bit as motivated to maximize their careers as men. With this in mind, how do women in the workplace navigate negative pushback when we are deemed too "aggressive"? How do employers ensure that they are capitalizing on women's talents? As always, Cathy and Deborah offer their own insights and practical advice for women and leaders encountering a sometimes "greedy" workplace.
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Keep On Keeping On
Parity Podcast
Marking four years of the Parity Podcast, Cathy and Deborah discuss their ongoing efforts to nudge the workplace culture to be a more equitable place for women and to take advantage of the skills sets women have to offer. They recount their SCRIPT for change, review some of their favorite episodes, and share what they have learned. In answer to the question of whether something different is needed in this moment of the fight for a better workplace for all, Cathy and Deborah offer the understated response that is the title of this Episode: Keep On Keeping On.
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Unlearning Silence: A Conversation with Elaine Lin Hering
Parity Podcast
Elaine Lin Hering joins the Parity Podcast to discuss the role that silence plays in each of our lives. Her 2024 book, Unlearning Silence, explores the ways in which we are silenced in the workplace, and the roles we play in silencing others. Driven by her own experience in being encouraged to speak up, yet not having her words welcomed, Elaine began pondering the larger dynamics in play and the consequences of remaining silent. According to Elaine, finding one's voice is more than what you say or don't say, it is about how you move through the world and show up. She encourages each of us to...
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What Is It about Taylor Swift?
Parity Podcast
The Parity Podcast has been curious about Taylor Swift's stunning success as a pop star and her potential as a role model to the next generation of women. In this episode, Deborah is joined by four Taylor Swift fans from across the country, ranging from the teens to late 20s, to discuss what she means to them. They describe her music as poetic, playful, self-deprecating, and deeply relatable and accessible, lending insight to the source of her magic. Offering a sound track for the experience of growing up, and loving and living, Swift makes a profound impact, reaching across cultural and...
info_outlineCaregiving is a second economy that requires a skilled workforce all its own. Yet, in the absence of acknowledging the scale and critical relevance of this economy, the main drivers and load-bearers of this economy remain women. We simply cannot achieve gender parity without more support and without others taking on their share of the load. Dr. Nithila Peter joins us in a 2-part series to discuss solutions.
You can subscribe! so you don’t miss any episodes! Time-stamped show notes are below. You can find a transcript of today’s episode here
If you would like to learn more about today’s topic:
Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
The Price of Motherhood; Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued, by Ann Crittendon, (2001)
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid
Blessing Adesiyan, the Founder and CEO of Mother Honestly, is a good resource
1:00 Women are disproportionately responsible for the caring of others
1:30 Dr. Nithila Peter is joining us today
2:36 Today is about solutions
2:45 Part 1 discussed lack of support system
3:32 Part 1 discussed society places a low value on caregiving, no support systems were put in place when mothers entered the workforce, and modern feminism forgot about mothers
4:18 Mothers face bias
4:50 Inaccurate that mothers are less committed
5:35 Mothers earn $.69 for every $1 earned by men
6:30 Motherhood penalty
6:50 Men’s standing increases when becoming fathers
8:20 Women gain skills when becoming mothers
10:40 Emotion, mental, and physical toll of trying to do it all
11:00 Lessons from Indian, Latin, and Indigenous cultures
11:50 Mothers have high cultural value in India
12:25 Story of Nithila’s Indian (South-Asian) family helping to raise her children
13:30 Nithila’s family and extended network enabled her to complete her PhD
14:00 Workplaces should value unique skills of parents
15:20 Obama’s made caregiving more visible through Marian Robinson
18:00 Asian culture offers solution but is a hard model for families stretched thin
19:15 Motherhood is more visible in India for actors, politicians, and others
21:00 Mothers have also been wartime leaders
21:10 Overturning of Roe v. Wade puts additional pressure on the care economy
22:22 18 year old had twins - what support does she have?
23:00 Appalled by mother’s lives now at risk
23:30 Dobbs further reduces mothers’ power in society
24:30 Will gender parity be extended due to Dobbs?
25:30 Difficult to make this prediction
27:50 One solution is more legislative support like paid leave
28:30 Family planning needs more attention
29:09 Flex and hybrid arrangements should stay in place
32:15 Celebrity male leaders do not have reputations for being good caregivers
33:00 We need more caregivers and those with empathy in leadership roles
34:30 We all have equal opportunities to grow caregiving skills
34:45 Many economic successes during pandemic while workers were at home
35:25 Focus on organizational culture
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
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Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments