Men often fear the stigma of taking parental leave — but family-
friendly policies can change traditional attitudes Flickr/ c a r
a m e l Policies that help remove the stigma around childcare
will help put men and women on an equal footing in science, says
Mary Ann Mason. It is well known that having babies can derail
women scientists' careers. Across the world, in developed and
developing countries alike, women still take on a large share of
domestic duties even as they work to advance their careers. The
problem persists even in countries that have made great strides
towards equality in the workplace. In a study of US academics we
found that women scientists with children are 39 per cent less
likely than men with children to attain tenure. We must
encourage fathers to become equal participants in raising
children. And to do that, we need institutions willing to
implement policies that nurture a new culture where neither
women nor men see family as a threat to their career. The
'second shift' There is a 'secon