I’m certainly no socialist but I think your friend’s point has some merit. First, I assume we can all agree that attentive, present mothers are vastly important for children’s development and, by extension, society at large. Well my personal observation in business is that many of the most competent and conscious women are the exact type that is most likely to pause their career to attend to children. The problem is that when they try to reenter their career they are not only placed at the bottom of the totem pole, they are placed there as a middle aged individual. Meanwhile many less competent people who may have neglected parental responsibilities have been promoted multiple times. Point being, it’s not only a matter of fairness. It’s also a problem in missassesing talent and ability.