I know it isn’t the done thing in academia to admit weakness, but I’m going to: 2020 very nearly broke me. I went from a career high in Jan to full time care of 3 kids aged 5 and under from March-Sept, to doing nothing other than surviving at work Oct-Dec because I was knackered.

We’re now in Tier 4 and although our primary school should stay open for now, who knows what’s coming. If we lose school and nursery again just as I’m picking up the pieces of my life and mental health, what happens to me?
Who out there is taking care of the women?

I’m not for a second trying to dismiss men’s problems, but we know (from the billions of surveys that have gone round since March) that the pandemic is disproportionately affecting women. But who is going to help us?