To the editor,
The media has the power and the duty to help put to rest a pernicious myth – the myth that significant numbers of women are eagerly trading the career track for the mommy track. The media bear the responsibility for peddling this myth to the masses.
With the new article by E.J. Graff in the Columbia Journalism Review (“The Opt-Out Myth”) and the well-researched study by Joan C. Williams released last fall (“ ‘Opt Out’ or Pushed Out? How the Press Covers Work/Family Conflict”), the truth is out there, and the National Organization for Women urges you to report it.
The popular storyline claims that more women are abandoning paid work and staying home with their children out of pure choice. This tale is based only on anecdotal information. The women interviewed for these articles are part of a rare demographic that can afford to have only one working parent.
Additionally, upper- and middle-income women often are pushed out of their jobs by inflexible work environments that penalize workers who have family responsibilities (not because they blissfully “choose” to leave), while low-income women are expected to work, no matter what the circumstances are.
Mothers who do “flee” the workplace often do so out of frustration. As rewarding as motherhood can be, most women would prefer not to give up their careers entirely. The lack of flexibility at work, childcare issues and societal pressures are what make some women get off the fast track.
Millions of women are struggling to balance home life with the necessity of working for wages, and the media do a disservice to women and their families when they fail to report the reality of this situation.
I know that stronger public policies would make a world of difference for mothers and caregivers – like more flex time, better child-care options, benefits for part-time workers, paid sick days and family leave, and better health coverage – and I hope you’ll cover those issues as well.
Instead of blaming themselves for not being superwomen, mothers who are presented with the larger context of the issue might advocate for better work conditions, child care funding and other external solutions. They might actually put some of the responsibility for fostering work/family harmony at the feet of businesses and government.
Women are breaking new ground all around us – Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House, Hillary Clinton a front-runner for her party’s nomination for President of the United States, the first woman president at Harvard University. If only this moment also could serve as the turning point in the media’s coverage of mothers and their efforts to balance work and parenting.
Truly compelling reporting would dig below women’s personal decisions to the impact that public policy and workplace practices have on those decisions. The National Organization for Women is working to break down the barriers that mothers face. We urge Providence Business News not to create another barrier by spreading misinformation. Please tell the real story – for the sake of every mother and her family.
Beverly Dwyer, North Providence
Selling Luxury Real Estate Requires More Than Exposure
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Private Office Advisor Engel & Völkers Oceanside www.DiSpiritoteam.com…
Learn More
