As I sat in the dimly lit room, surrounded by women who have been deeply affected by the bias against mothers, my frustration grew. We live in a culture where motherhood is weaponized and has been for decades. Whether you identify with the “girl boss” movement of the 90s or the more recent “trad wife” phenomenon, you are being pitted against other moms, and this division is doing us all a disservice.

Reshma Saujani, activist, author, and founder of Moms First, poignantly explains in her new documentary, No Country for Mothers, how labels distract us from the real issue, which is the lack of support for American families. This keeps women stuck underearning and exhausted, especially if they don’t have financial resources.

I see this in my work coaching and consulting in the financial services and wealth industry. Women professionals trying to build their careers and have a family are up against policies and workplace cultures that find motherhood inconvenient, or dare I say not profitable. It’s one of the reasons there is a talent shortage and lack of gender and racial diversity in the field. Leaders often tell me, “There just aren’t any women to hire or promote.” Really?

There are plenty of smart, motivated women who would love to work for a financial services company that offered support for building a practice AND starting a family. Leaders need to realize that mothers need a different type of support than single professionals or married ones that decide not to have kids.

This quote sums it up: “I didn’t quit because I wasn’t capable—I quit because I was pregnant, raising a toddler, and had no support. That’s what the system does to mothers.”

The solution. Talking openly and honestly about the challenges of being a mother and how firms can put policies in place to support parents. And to go one step further and not penalize them when they do use these services.

I know it’s not as easy as it sounds, but look at the impact of offering child care benefits according to Moms First:

• 90% of employers say child care benefits boost talent recruitment and retention.
• 88% of employers agree child care benefits boost productivity.
• 56% of part-time or nonworking parents would go back to work full time if they had access to quality child care at a reasonable cost.

I am not a mother. But like you, I have a mother. And recently, my only niece gave birth, and watching her return to work while mothering has been eye-opening. The issue affects us, aunts, uncles, fathers, and businesses. Therefore, we all need to be involved in the conversation.

As an advocate for women’s rights and the advancement of female financial professionals, I urge you to see this film. Better yet, sponsor it at your office and facilitate a discussion about finding solutions. What a great way to fight back against the attempt to divide us to weaken us. There is nothing a group of women can’t do when they take action together.

If this hits close to home, let’s talk. Schedule a discovery call and let’s build a plan that lets you grow your practice without sacrificing your family.