LYDIC: The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the U.S. economy,
with millions out of work.
And much like underwire and microblading,
it's disproportionately hurting women.
Economist Olga Shurchkov told me why.
Since, uh, February 2020, about two and half million women
left the workforce.
Two and a half million?
That's right. 80% net job losses.
Wow, even when it comes to unemployment,
women are overachieving.
For decades, women have been chipping away
at the glass ceiling, joining the labor force
in greater numbers with each year.
Until the pandemic, which has reduced the percentage
of working women to 1988 levels.
The question is: why is this happening?
Well, my interview with Dr. Dharushana Muthulingam
provided one compelling reason why.
The pandemic is one of the reasons
that I just needed to step back from my research.
-(whirring) -We lost child care for several months. Um...
Sorry, I couldn't... I couldn't quite hear.
There was a bit of a... like, uh, something in the background.
Um, that's my three-year-old son with, uh, a Lego train car.
Sor-Sorry, hold on, no, I think it's my background.
Is that the trash compacter?
There better not be any Ninjagos in there.
There Were Ninjagos in there.
And thanks to school closures and child care disruptions,
mothers are stepping back from the workforce
in large numbers, and not because they want to.
I think we really need to move away from this idea
of personal choice.
If you have to choose between bringing home a paycheck
to feed your family and, you know,
avoiding a deadly disease, that's not a choice.
No, it... it's not.
And it doesn't matter if you're young, old,
black, white, or that slick bitch in the next apartment
that keeps eyeing my husband.
This affects you.
My research has been focused on infectious disease
in incarcerated populations, and so I was looking at sort of how
-(boy talking, coughing) -can we improve testing and support
for these individuals who are very vulnerable
-to getting infected. -So you were researching COVID,
and you had to take a step back?
Yeah. I mean, it was a very difficult decision.
God, think of all that you could have accomplished
in this past year if you had full-time COVID-safe child care.
Like, I know for me, I just know I would have been able to finish
my one-woman show from home, Homilton.
? My whole life is in this room where it happens ?
? This room where it happens, this room where it happens. ?
Yeah. Art is important.
So, millions of women have just spent a year stuck at home,
workshopping our dream projects with our kids
instead of with audiences or producers.
And much like a stoned Elon Musk tweet,
this could affect the whole economy.
Women leaving the workforce means that these women
are now losing the skills that they had
and becoming less productive, and so that could affect,
actually, um, the entire economy and economic growth
for years to come.
Even women who are still working
are experiencing sort of hidden burdens,
that they're doing this dual role...
-Can I have a snack. -No. No, you can't have a snack.
You just ate. You can't have a snack.
They... have to work and, at the same time,
take care of their children.
And so there are also mental health repercussions.
-Something's got to give. -MAN: Hey, babe,
-can he have a snack? -No, he can't...
no, he can't have a snack.
So how do we fix this before moms across America
just lose it?
Asking for a friend.
-BOY: I can have a snack. -No, you can't...
Yeah, you know what, (bleep) it, have a snack.
Have a snack. Have all the snacks.
Dr. Shurchkov says it's gonna take a lot of work.
COVID-19 highlighted and exacerbated
longstanding structural gender and racial and ethnic gaps
that need to be addressed.
And, not to mention, women, I think, have learned
-(footsteps approaching) -how... Yes?
Oh, my goodness, you want me to google?
We are looking up a Pokémon.
-Oh. -Which is my other new PhD-level area of expertise.
Um, so, where was I?
Yes. If we would like to see things get better,
we need institutions, policy makers
to pay attention to child care and expand access to child care.
Shoot. I had a question off of that, actually.
Sorry, maybe my producer...
Sarah, the question off of the, um, women...
-(crying) -Have it. I definitely have it written down in here.
I remember when we came up with that question.
-Yeah. -Uh...
-(boy continues crying) -Sorry.
But yeah, you got your hands full. It's okay.
-(boy screaming) -Oh, boy, okay, actually,
I come prepared. Here we go.
-(boy talking. -Mommy's working.
LYDIC: Well, one thing is certain--
the pandemic has shown us that the system is broken,
and women need institutional support.
Something has to be done.
Probably by someone who doesn't have kids at home.