Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the gender disparity in romantic relationships has grown even wider, driven by the changing household needs that came with school cancellations, disrupted child care, lockdowns and the transition to working from home. Trends in family dynamics can be hard to track, but this tectonic shift was obvious: American women have exited the workforce at a disturbing rate, with approximately 493,000 more women than men quitting their jobs.