Zoom distraction gig Take-off Unveils Equal Pay Advocacy under Lighter Tone
On Equal Pay Day, which fell on March 25, the women's rights movement group Zij-Kant collaborated with the Belgian agency Mortierbrigade to draw attention to the unequal distribution of childcare responsibilities. The collaboration aimed to highlight the impact of a productive work day on the parent burdened with childcare responsibilities.
The increased interruptions during meetings for working mothers can be attributed to their primary childcare responsibilities. In contrast, male colleagues are experiencing fewer interruptions. This imbalance is a contributing factor to the fewer interruptions experienced by male colleagues.
The pandemic has exacerbated this existing imbalance. The increased work-from-home situations have not evened out the childcare responsibilities as one might assume. Instead, the unprompted celebrity appearances of toddlers on Zoom calls is a reference to this issue.
The collaboration between Zij-Kant and Mortierbrigade did not address the fewer interruptions experienced by male colleagues. Nor did it mention the increased work-from-home situations. Instead, it was designed to demonstrate how the productive work day of one parent can come at the expense of the other.
The parent burdened with childcare responsibilities may be tasked with changing diapers, cleaning up messes, and cooking meals. This collaboration was a reminder of the ongoing imbalance in childcare responsibilities, which includes tasks beyond the traditional domestic roles.
Mortierbrigade is bringing attention to this issue, reminding people of the reasons behind the fewer interruptions experienced by male colleagues. The agency's goal is to create awareness and encourage a more balanced distribution of childcare responsibilities. The collaboration between Zij-Kant and Mortierbrigade was not related to evening out the childcare responsibilities, but rather to bring attention to the issue and inspire change.
