As a man, it’s hard to comment on women’s issues. And as a twentysomething man, it’s even harder to comment on the work and family issues that face women in senior roles. But a few recent stories about women and work highlighted at conferences and in the news have struck me recently.

For example, the ongoing gender pay gap discussed at the Women in London’s Economy conference in February; the case of newsreader and expectant mother Natasha Kaplinsky; and a story about a 50-something professional women who dropped out of the rat race to become a receptionist.

While seated at the London Mayor’s conference "Women in London’s Economy" in February, the irony didn’t escape me that it was middle-aged, male Ken Livingstone on the podium bemoaning the lack of women in the capital’s senior jobs. But he delivered an important event that raised some depressing statistics (albeit to little media coverage), many of which have remained unchanged over the past few years. For example, the gender pay gap in London currently stands at 23 per cent.

Then, a few weeks later, came "The Kaplinsky Case". Here was a female newsreader who has become Britain’s best-paid TV news anchor after switching from the BBC to Channel 5. But just over a month into the job, she revealed that she was three months’ pregnant and all hell broke lose. The majority of voiced opinions were critical of Kaplinsky: "She acted unprofessionally"; "She should have told her new bosses." Most of the criticism, however, seemed to miss one point. If it were a Mr Kaplinsky in the same situation the story would not have even made the news. "Your wife is pregnant? Congratulations!" He would have continued to work, and as a highly paid TV star no doubt would have been expected to take minimal paternity leave.

It seems that while fatherhood is not viewed in the same light as motherhood, these issues will always remain. Were the hypothetical male newsreader allowed and, indeed, expected to take 12 months off after the birth of his child (not simply two weeks), then the playing field would be as level as the Wembley turf.

Lastly, while listening to the radio I heard mention of a Financial Times article, "Happiness is finding your inner receptionist" – a light-hearted piece about a 50-something woman, who was a business high-flyer but started to hanker for a different life. This turned out to be opting out of corporate competitiveness and applying for a job as a receptionist. She loved the relative lack of stress, hours and commitment compared with her previous job. But this was happening arguably at the same time her male contemporaries were breaking through to the boardroom.

So where does all this leave next year’s reports of gender pay gaps and numbers of female CEOs? In much the same state, I imagine.

Related articles:
London mayor pushes equality law debate

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Happiness is finding your inner receptionist