By Molly McNamara, Summer 2023 Power in Place Collaborator
Image from: Vecteezy
The United States is notoriously known as the only developed country in the world without paid maternity leave. While this is a sad reality that affects millions of American women and birthing people, it is something that many do not realize affects female elected officials. Many women hold off their political careers until their children reach adulthood, but more and more women with young children are recently being elected. Women should not feel that they need to put their lives on hold in order to raise their children. By providing access to paid family leave, women can have access to the resources that they need to focus on their children.
Maternity and paternity leave allows parents to spend quality time with their newborn child in the most formative weeks of their lives. Mothers and fathers can connect with their child in a way that would not be possible without the security of paid time off. But the US does not guarantee this security as paid maternity leave is not federal law. Only 11 states offer paid family leave, some of which are California, New York, and Washington. Parents should not be forced to worry about finances when taking time off to care for their newborn. Financial security is necessary for new parents to be successful, especially during a time that has many other stressors.
Women who are in elected positions have their fair share of stress, especially if they have children at home waiting for them. But taking care of a family should not hinder women from pursuing a political career. Resources should be in place to allow women to do it all. But the public does not see it that way. A Pew Research Center study found that 51 percent believe that women should have children before her political career or early on in her career. 26 percent believe that women should wait to have children until her career is well established, and 19 percent believe that she should not have children at all. While these statistics are enlightening on public views of motherhood and politics, a woman’s career and a woman’s family planning timeline should be able to intertwine. The proper resources such as paid family leave should allow her to do that.
Some elected officials find themselves in difficult situations when having a child during their term. Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow gave birth during her time in office and found that she did not qualify for paid time off. Michigan has 12 weeks of paid parental leave for state employees, but since McMorrow is not a state employee but rather an elected official, she found that there is no parental leave for state legislators. She is then also forced to miss out on votes in committee and on the floor, as there is no way to vote remotely or proxy vote. This forces new mothers to choose between time with their newborn child and their political career.
Parenting is challenging as it is, but managing a political career at the same time may be considered impossible. Thankfully, this new generation of female elected officials is proving otherwise. Women with young children are infiltrating the political world. They are proving that you can have your cake and eat it too, but paid parental leave would make that a whole lot sweeter. Paid family leave is a human right and millions of women across the US deserve to have that security.
References
[1] Miller, Claire Cain. “The World ‘Has Found a Way to Do This’: The US Lags on Paid Leave.” The New York Times. October 25, 2021
[2] National Conference of State Legislatures. “State Family and Medical Leave Laws.” NCSL. Sept. 9, 2022
[3] Censky, Abigail. “With More Women in State Office, Family Leave Policies Have Not Caught Up.” NPR News. March 28, 2021
[4] Igeilnik & Parker. “When should a woman have children if she’s thinking about running for office?” Pew Research. May 9, 2019
Molly McNamara is a rising Junior at George Washington University. She is double majoring in Political Science and American Studies with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Molly is involved in the GW campus chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is interested in writing, mental health advocacy, and political engagement. After college she hopes to either enter the political realm or nonprofit work in hopes to create a more equitable society.
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