I enjoyed reading the article about Maddow and found this post alongside it. Since several of us are already parents and others may take on this role at some point, I thought I would share this. I think the parental discrimination in the workplace is a major societal issue that is experienced very differently but equally painfully for mothers and fathers.
When my husband and I had our children, he took paternity leave under FMLA, and we were shocked both by his employer's response, "You are crazy; you'll be climbing the walls after a few days!" and the responses of our friends, "Wow! That's amazing your company let you do that; mine never would." These men clearly had no knowledge of their own federally protected FMLA rights...We had an incredible leave together as a family unit, something I will always treasure, but it did come with a stigma.
Why Are Mothers And Fathers Still At A Disadvantage At Work?
Thanks for sharing this Stacy. I think the issue of race further complicates parental discrimination, as you call it. Working with immigrant adults, we struggle to reach out to them so that they can be actively involved in their children's education. This represents a challenge, not because these parents are careless or uneducated. Far from that. Looking at privilege in parental voices can also tell us something about our discriminatory system. I am upset and try to fight against the lack of access to spaces where diverse parental voices and participation are heard.
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