It is common knowledge that of all the theatrical disciplines, the fields of design, production, and technical theatre are the most male-dominated (with costuming being the exception). The question worth asking is why, and a new survey by Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., may provide the answer.

Drawing on 589 responses from female-identifying designers and production personnel, the study found two key obstacles faced by these groups: gender discrimination and lack of support for working parents. According to Caitlyn Garrity, writing in the September 2019 issue of Theatre Design & Technology, the quarterly magazine published by the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (where the full survey can be found), “The study data advances our ongoing discussions about gender equity and parity while providing insights into the specific challenges of women+ at work.”

The Millikin study’s conclusion is one that has been reached by many in the theatre industry. Recently, there has been more conversation around better working conditions for parents and caregivers, spurred by organizations such as Parent-Artist Advocacy League; the Playwrights Realm in New York City recently launched an initiative that included paid childcare and flexible rehearsal schedules. The industry is also in the midst of conversations around how to address workplace harassment and discrimination, inspired by Not in Our House in Chicago and public lawsuits filed by theatre practitioners against large institutions.

But suffice to say, while it is important for theatres to hire diverse personnel (especially because all-female design teams are still a rarity, so much so that when they happen, it’s newsworthy), it’s not enough. Parenting and harassment are workplace issues that still disproportionately affect women. That is why in addition to hiring diverse talent, theatres need to make sure they take steps to retain them by making workplace culture less toxic and more sustainable over the long term for artists at all stages of their career.