Mary Barra’s recent promotion to CEO of General Motors has been hailed as shattering the glass ceiling of the male-dominated auto industry. But others view it more cautiously, noting that only 4.2% of all Fortune 500 companies are headed by women. Pamela Smock says that “in many ways, little has changed despite women’s increasing education and greater attachment to the workforce.” As Smock’s research shows, working women still do 80% of the housework and childcare, so they are much more likely than men to step back from their careers when home demands are large.

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