15th March 2023

Thoughts on gender roles in families

Philippa Kum

Associate

In my line of work, clients often share with me how parenthood, and motherhood in particular, has impacted their career. Although the court considers that there is no place for discrimination between a husband and wife and their respective traditional gender roles, this article has reminded me that the nuances of societal pressure and expectation are still very much present for working mothers.

The image of a woman doing standup with her baby strapped to her is an especially interesting representation of work-life balance - a concept which has evolved significantly post-pandemic.

She believes gigging is not a level playing field, as it is assumed that female comedians are responsible for the childcare. “Male comics are booked over female comics,” she says. “We need more dads saying, ‘I’ve got to sort out a babysitter.’”