Blame the pay gap
Why women are saying no thanks to marriage and motherhood
“I saw a heavily pregnant woman walking to clinic the other day, and the overwhelming emotion I felt was pity; such great pity, because I grieved for what she had done to herself,” reflected Sydonnie McBean, a married mother of three, gender advocate, and youth counsellor.
“It’s sad that that was my first reaction, but the fact of the matter is, in today’s world, being a woman and a mother is more of a liability than a good thing.”
Though she’s married and has the support of her family and her “village”, McBean, who is in the financial industry and is completing her master’s degree, said it was in starting her Master of Business Administration (MBA), and making certain observations, that she came to her conclusion.
“The key thing I observed in research was the gender pay gap and how ridiculous it is in 2025,” she said. “I realised that even after completing my studies, even if I top my classes, Bradley, who’s dumber, will earn more than I ever could, just because he’s a man.”
Though Jamaica has made great strides locally on gender equality, keeping the island on par with, and even above some nations, one worrying issue continues to affect women — the gender pay gap. It’s a term that’s usually reserved for economic circles and in business discussions, but in layman’s terms, currently, a woman in Jamaica, employed in the same job, earns just $61 cents compared to every dollar a man earns.
“So whether she is equally qualified, more qualified, or even substantially more qualified, whether she’s doing the same work, or more work, this is her reality,” said financial and life coach and counsellor Gavin Gray.
It’s this disparity that more women are realising, that’s affecting not only their pocketbooks, but their lives — children and relationships included.
“Today, more women are rethinking traditional life milestones such as marriage and motherhood — not out of rebellion, but out of a calculated response to an unfair economic landscape,” Gray said.
Rebecca Williams said she has chosen not to have children and instead remain hyper focused on her career, because of the gap.
“For women like myself, and others, especially those in the lower or middle-income brackets, this financial imbalance often makes the idea of building a family feel less like a personal choice and more like a gamble,” the 23-year-old said. “And I’m not a gambling woman.”
Armed with an MBA, Williams said marriage for her, which was once seen as a partnership for stability, could become a financial liability.
“Women who marry often find themselves expected to take on more unpaid domestic labour, and those who become mothers are statistically more likely to experience career slowdowns, lower earnings, or even job loss — what’s called the ‘motherhood penalty’,” she said. “Meanwhile, men often receive the opposite: a ‘fatherhood bonus’ in terms of salary and career opportunities.”
She said with the cost of childcare soaring and work-life balance still elusive for many women, most of her friends and colleagues are deciding it’s simply not worth it.
“Because why invest in a relationship that might add to your workload or limit your economic independence, especially when your own career hasn’t yet offered equal rewards?” she posited.
McBean, meanwhile, said as more women pursue higher education and climb the professional ladder, they are increasingly unwilling to settle for partners who do not contribute equally — emotionally, domestically, or financially. When systemic pay inequality already puts them at a disadvantage, entering a traditional marriage or having children without real support can feel like stepping into quicksand, she said.
“This trend isn’t about women giving up on family. It’s about making empowered choices in an unequal world. The gender pay gap doesn’t just affect bank accounts — it alters dreams, delays milestones, and demands that women weigh every decision with economic caution,” she said.
Gray said until true pay equity is achieved, society may continue to see a rise in women choosing independence over tradition — not because they don’t value love or family, but because they can’t afford to pay the price of inequality.
