Since January 2025, more than 212,000 women (aged 20+) have dropped out of the labor force, while 44,000 men have entered it. That disparity should be headline news—but often just isn’t.
Among them are roughly 300,000 Black women, whose exits are driven by layoffs, sweeping cutbacks in DEI programs, rising costs, and structural barriers. This dramatic change is draining an estimated $37 billion from U.S. GDP.
In the same time frame, working mothers—especially those with young kids—have seen participation drop sharply. What’s driving it? Return-to-office mandates, skyrocketing childcare costs, and the rollback of flexible work options.
Why the Data Gap Is Dangerous
By not spotlighting these trends, standard labor reports are erasing the reality that women—especially caregivers and women of color—are being pushed out of the workforce. That obscures key policy failures around child care support, workplace flexibility, and equity initiatives.
The Future Relies On Reality
When labor data omits women’s struggles, the story we get is incomplete—and wrong. Until we track the full picture, we can’t build solutions that matter.
