Service Designer
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pillar

THESIS TOPIC:
Exploring the area of women's sexual health. Follow this blog for continued updates.

Initial Investigations

Defining some problem areas:

First-time mothers:

While the gender pay gap has been decreasing, the pay gap related to parenthood is increasing.
  • Women are having babies in the middle of peak earning periods.
  • Professional binds begin even before conception. For example women are thinking about having a baby long before conception and are also considering their current job status/pay.
  • Unsubsidized childcare, a factor leading to many women dropping out of the workforce.
  • Self-Confidence/priorities changing post-baby, not being addressed.
  • Isolation felt and not spoken about, especially when friends and family are not physically close by proximity.
Feels like sometimes being “just a mum” isn’t enough, even though it’s the hardest most exhausting job I have ever done!
  • A career is seen as still an important aspect of a mother's life post-birth, as it allows them to be a strong role model in their child's life as well as giving them balance and "do something for you that's your own".

GLOBAL

Women's labor force participation rate decreased 52.4% to 49.6% between 1995 - 2015.
Odds that women remain in workforce is 30% less than men.

Women in senior roles has risen at a slow rate of 3% in 5 years to a total of 24%
Businesses without any women in roles has remained static at 33% for the last 5 years.

UNITED STATES

Women remain at 46.8% of the total workforce
Women have 51.5% of management positions in the workforce
Women only take up 4% of CEO level poisitons at s&p 500 companies

61% of all mothers with children under the age of 3 are in the labor force.

On average American women's earnings decrease 4% per child.

GENDER EQUALITY

NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES AND CHANGING THE TOOLS OF EMPOWERMENT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CHANGE AND PROGRESS
— FORBES.COM

Gender equality in developed nations will level off within 50 years if we continue at the rate it is now.
Gender equality in non-developed nations will level off within 65 years if we continue at the rate it is now.

Women have different expectations and goals about leadership roles and benefits.


Questions arising:

  • What are the expectations vs. reality of maternalism?
  • What period during motherhood did you start to feel isolated, and why did you feel like that?
  • How can the government support more to empower women through maternity leave to go back to work?
  • What kind of support was offered to you (government, etc) and how did you find out about this?
  • What does the priorities pre/post baby changing mean to you?

Abortion

AS a woman you feel very judged to put your own mental and emotional health before a ‘child’
  • Directly post-abortion, lack of information about after care, specifically mental health.
  • Lots of taboo surrounding the subject and should be discussed openly.
  • Conflict about the meaning of abortion and it's relation to deeply held values or beliefs, perceived social stigma or lack of support.
  • No one seeks support from family or friends, unless they are close friends who they know won't share judgement. Family seem less likely to be told.
  • Trusting your body again post-abortion during sexuality intercourse.

GLOBAL

  • 210 million women get pregnant each year, 1/5 (42 million) have induced abortion

 

Questions arising:

  • How abortion effects future relationships and future self confidence.
  • Emotional seismograph; defining the pain points during the entire process (decision making, post, years later).
  • Maternal mental health pre and post abortion.
  • What direct support system is required to ease the feeling of perceived judgement.
Leila Byron