Women are being driven out of the work force in large numbers as a byproduct of the current economic slowdown in the United States. This marks the first time since the women's movement came to life that an economic recovery has come and gone, and the percentage of women at work has fallen, not risen. After ascending to positions in every occupation, women are being challenged on a massive scale by the same troubles as men: downturns, layoffs, outsourcing, stagnant wages or the significant possibility of a pay cut.
See "Economy is driving women to stay home", Louis Uchitelle, Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 21, 2008