Saujani is a committed activist in the realm of workplace equality so I know this book was good to be an absolute GEM from the moment it was announced - and it still surpassed my expectations. It's so easy to believe that gender equality is the main problem that needs to be addressed, and that motherhood is simply encapsulated as one of the many subsects within it. But this is far from the truth. Motherhood nor only limits and hinders the career progression of women who actually pursue motherhood, but even women who remain childfree: studies have shown that employers have unrecognized forms of bias that cause them to hinder the careers of women simply because of the POSSIBILITY of motherhood.

There is a stubborn pattern of promotions and prestigious projects consequently being handed to the men, who represent a much lower risk of taking a long maternity leave, and it creates a disparity for women as a whole (by the way, an excellent reason for workplaces to encourage fathers to take their full leave, and that's without even getting into benefits to the child-father bond).

Gender discrimination is still a major problem in the workplace, and it creates significant consequences for women's economic and social equality across the board. How can we even begin to address such a deep-rooted problem? Saujani's well-rounded work presents an overview of the situation and presents policy solutions in what is a readable and vitally important book both employees and employers.

PAY UP by Reshma Saujani, the Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, deals with "The Future of Women and Work (and Why It's Different Than You Think)." It is one of the first texts to address the disproportionate impact on women of the pandemic – causing so many to leave their jobs and careers due to childcare constraints. Writing for both women and stakeholders, Saujani outlines four key steps: empower women; educate business leaders; revise and shift our thinking about success; and advocate for policy reform. She argues that all of it is necessary because we "participate in a workforce and live in a society that do not make having it all actually possible." She is angry, particularly on behalf of the 35 million working mothers in America (together with other working women, they comprised fifty-one percent of the pre-pandemic workforce) and on behalf of undervalued full-time Moms. She cites statistics about the drop in women's employment and reluctance (or outright refusal) to come back. PAY UP offers a passionate look at critical issues of high interest to our students; hopefully, policy-makers can also be inspired to more seriously consider efforts to provide affordable child care, paid parental leave, and cash payments to parents.

Wow! I’ll be honest I thought this was going to be one that I either would not finish or would skim through. But I was completely wrong! Once I started reading it I barely stopped. It was so insightful with lots of actionable pieces for women, businesses, and politicians. The way Reshma hits on the burnout and inequity for women in the workplace especially during the pandemic was eye opening, but completely true and honest. This book is a call for action on how we can create a better future for not just women, but all including our children. I believe this is a must read for everyone! Thank you Netgalley and Atria/One Signal Publishers for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

Please read and share my full review here: https://monumentalme.substack.com/p/we-are-all-part-of-a-new-movement?utm_source=url


I highly recommend Pay Up by Reshma Saujani. The United States needs to Step It Up with tapping into the power of women and all working parents in the workplace that can only be truly realized with the right political, corporate and societal support in place. Read my full review on my newsletter for Monumental Me & The Mindshare Podcast with Liana Slater. Link Above.