I know of a woman who is eight months pregnant and she has a stressful job. Usually it’s just mentally stressful, but lately she’s had to complete some physical tasks that no one in their right mind would ask a very pregnant lady to do.
I was discussing this with someone, and he was very upset at the way the company was treating her. He didn’t understand why she didn’t take time off to to relax and make sure the baby is ok.
“She can’t do that! She’s a woman in a high position and if she takes time off, or says something about being forced to do these extra things then that’s going to look bad. Just another weak woman. Nobody cares that she is pregnant. Nobody cares about the health of her baby. The work has to get done and it’s her job to do it.”
He looked confused and couldn’t believe that I, of all people, was saying that.
“No, no, no I don’t agree with it at all. I’m just saying that how sick the corporate world is, so that is probably why she is working herself to tears. It’s not fair, it’s not right, but she feels like she has to. If I was in that position, I’d put my baby first, but everyone is different.”
As an interesting side note, a survey in the UK has found that over 75% of employers would not hire a woman if they knew she would become pregnant within the next six months, and 68% would to be able to question women more about their plans for a family.
Touchy subject.
I believe that if it were societally acceptable for both men and women to take time off to raise a family then this wouldn’t be so much of an issue. Employers would find ways to make it work. The government would step in and ease the financial pressure on all ends and eventually pregnancy wouldn’t be an “issue”, it would just be seen as something that happens in life.
Instead we have women putting their company’s needs before their baby’s health. We have this secret code of discrimination that seen as acceptable for business reasons. And we have husbands and fathers afraid to ask for even a few days off to support their wives and welcome their new children into the world.
Something is just not right. But as long as profits take precedence, the human aspects of life will always be seen as weaknesses.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Tasha // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:23 am
Corporations are greedy as hell. I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.
2 Someone // Apr 24, 2008 at 9:29 am
So you think men should take time off from work? Then who is going to make the money? How is the new family going to eat if everyone is at home playing mommy?
3 DJ Nelson // Apr 24, 2008 at 7:10 pm
@Tasha- Sad but true.
@Someone- If they want to then why not? Also “time off” can mean a lot of things. It could be a week, two weeks…”time off” doesn’t always mean months and months.
4 james // Apr 26, 2008 at 7:25 pm
the government need to take action
its the same in the uk
5 DJ Nelson // May 2, 2008 at 10:47 am
I don’t see that happening anytime soon….
6 Tracee Sioux // May 28, 2008 at 5:43 pm
He didn’t understand why she didn’t take time off to to relax and make sure the baby is ok.
Go to Momsrising.org and help us pass a family leave insurance act that would give that mother - and all family members paid leave to deal with illness and birth.
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