I’m over at Babble today talking about family and maternity leave policies in the US (spoiler: I think they suck) and how when celebrities go back to work right after having a baby, it sends lousy message for the rest of us:
Then I had another thought: why are Hillary Duff and Beyonce back at work so soon after having babies? Like I mentioned, Hillary Duff’s baby is only about three months old and this isn’t the first report I’ve heard of her being in the studio. And you’ve got to assume that Beyonce was training and rehearsing for this concert for months before hitting the stage. Those are some short maternity leaves. Particularly when you consider that neither of these women are going to lose the roof over their heads if they don’t get back to work quickly, know what I mean?
I’m actually a little perturbed now that I think about this more deeply. They, in their own way, are perpetuating the image that recovering from having a baby isn’t that difficult and women can, and should, get back to work as fast as they can after the birth. In a nation like America, where paid maternity leave is rare and many women are forced to return to the workforce before they’re physically or emotionally ready to do so, sending the message that a woman’s body and mind can be in tip-top shape before you can blink is a little dangerous.
For the whole post, click on over to Babble!
