Unfortunately, women still face multiple forms of discrimination in the workplace. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, in 2015, full-time female workers only made 79 cents for every dollar made by male counterparts. Evidence suggests that the pay gap might even be getting worse. A recent study published in JAMA Internal medicine indicated that the average pay gap between men and women in the medical field is now $19,878 a year. Looking at New York State, the gap was $3,600 in 1999 and jumped to $17,000 in 2008 for doctors.

It is also well documented that women are subject to a “motherhood penalty,” while men receive a fatherhood bonus.” Researchers have found that women on average receive a wage penalty of 4% earnings decline per child whereas men receive a 6% increase per child.

However, researchers have recently identified an area where there is no evidence of the motherhood penalty – the Arts.  “Arts” included performing arts, design, art history, writing, the visual arts, and music. After studying 34,000 people with art degrees, the researchers did find evidence of the national pay gap, but did not find any penalties associated for a working woman with children.

The Atlantic explains that there are two reasons why this is the case: (1) the arts field is more project-based so people have flexible schedules and much of the work can be completed from home, and (2) artists are more likely to challenge gendered traditions. As a result, an artistic household may divide chores and childcare more evenly as opposed to placing that burden solely on the mother.  I think that this is also because artists recognize and appreciate diversity making the community as a whole more accepting.

While the article cautions that there is still evidence of a fatherhood bonus, it is nonetheless encouraging that the Artistic community is more accepting of women with children. Perhaps one of the solutions to mitigate the wage gap as well as other discrimination for working mothers is to take note of the Arts and more in the direction of a societal shift to more project-based work and flexibility for those who have a family.