On the day I dropped out of architecture school, just a few weeks shy of completing my second year, my professor turned to me with a knowing look and said: “I think it’s for the best. This is not a career that is particularly kind to women.” Those words have rung in my ears ever since. Initially, they offered a sense of comfort. At least I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t hack it. As time went on, my relief turned to resentment. The year was 2016 — was this seriously still the standard of treatment we were willing to accept in architecture, let alone any industry?

Like it or not, there is still an element of truth to this statement. Just 37.9 per cent of Canadian architects are women, and they continue to drop out of architectural education, and the profession, in disproportionate numbers. Whether because of unequal pay, slower rates of promotion, or the field’s notoriously problematic work culture, the reasons for doing so are numerous. Chief among them is the fact that the demands of this career path have historically been at odds with the equally onerous pursuit of becoming a parent.

Yet, nearly a decade later, the state of the profession gives me cause for optimism. The burgeoning architectural labour movement has opened an unprecedented dialogue about a variety of issues, and I have watched in amazement as women have broken through barriers I never imagined possible, paving the way for lasting change. One of them is Stephanie Hosein. Last fall, I stumbled across a post on LinkedIn and was taken by her candour: “As a woman in architecture, I felt I had to push off parenthood. I was determined to establish myself, or prove my worth, knowing that I would ‘lose’ a year to maternity leave. I’ve learned a lot on the path to parenthood. The impact on health, wellness and finances that can accompany the decision to become a parent are significant and are still taboo to discuss openly. Every step can bring immense challenges, and open dialogue can be invaluable,” she wrote. Her words accompanied an important announcement: Omar Gandhi Architects, the firm where she is an associate, had implemented a parental leave top-up program.