Re “Women leaned in. Corporate America leaned away,” by Tanzina Vega (Opinion guest essay, June 8):
To the Editor:
Tanzina Vega’s op-ed (“Women leaned in. Corporate America leaned away,” Opinion, June 8) misses the bigger point: Women are leaning into independence to create bespoke careers, not a cookie-cutter climb up the ladder. Self-employment, entrepreneurship, freelancing, and gig work empower women to work on their schedules and around their priorities. Traditional jobs — even those with virtual options — fall short for many women.
Over 70 million Americans freelanced last year, and a large and growing proportion are women. Women are now more likely than men to be employed in alternative work, driving growth in independent contracting. Fast-growing sectors for freelancers — including professional services, health care, social assistance, and educational services — provide high-paying and fulfilling work that won’t be easily automated.
The personal circumstances of a plurality of freelancers prevent them from working 9-to-5 jobs, or much more demanding C-suite schedules. Women raising children, managing health conditions, and caring for aging parents are attracted to freelance work so they can have a work-life balance. Seasoned professionals and women in preretirement also find contracting a good option to stay attached to the labor force.
Instead of blaming corporations and government for not keeping women tethered to certain lifestyles, let’s acknowledge that many women can lean into how they actually want to work.