In this episode, Fiona sits down with Sociologist and Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Jessica Calarco, author of Holding It Together: How Women Became America's Social Safety Net. Together, they dive into the hidden realities that many mothers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how these experiences reveal far deeper long standing societal challenges around gender roles and economic inequality.
Calarco shares insights from her research, highlighting how the pandemic intensified the already heavy burdens placed on women revealing how they often became the primary caregivers when formal systems fell short. She discusses the impact of structural barriers within the USA, like underfunded social support systems, and how societal norms and expectations further pressure women into these roles, leading to feelings of guilt and exhaustion.
The conversation also explores the deep-rooted issues of gender roles and economic inequality, emphasizing the need for a reimagined approach to support networks. Jessica reflects on how these challenges connect to a broader history of individualism and inadequate social policies that have left women disproportionately carrying the load, especially within the United States.
Listeners are invited to reconsider the narratives around caregiving and to think critically about the collective responsibility needed to build a fairer, more supportive society. This episode serves as both a revealing look into modern motherhood and a call for systemic change.
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