So... two and a half weeks ago I tripped at home and broke my toe. Like really broke it, on an x-ray, requiring immobilization and rest and elevation. And my boss was a tremendous asshole about it. He was extremely angry about it, and because he can't express his anger over a legitimate medical temporary issue (which caused approximately 1 week of absence/inconvenience before I discovered a short medical boot let me move without crutches, now I'm basically back at full function) he's been taking it out on me in other ways.
This isn't just about women, or leisure, or whatever. It's about people who have power who don't want to put up with what they consider inconveniences but are really other peoples lives.
So, I really love this unofficial (maybe official) other feminists motto: "women's bodies are amazing especially when we allow them to be women's bodies." One thing I think about in the throws of first trimester nausea is this: Even though I feel like I have a three month stomach flu, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. In fact, my body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and the nausea, so I'm told, is a sign of a healthy mom and a healthy baby. So, can I figure out a way not to resent this period of my pregnancy (maybe even embrace it?) and can society figure out a way to support a women's body doing the amazing thing it does?
I love viewing the conversation about the first trimester as sort of a test. If an individual can happily/comfortably weather the first trimester (at home, or at work), the society is in pretty good shape.
A few policy ideas give me some hope:
> universal, affordable, high quality childcare. It should be as easy to enroll kiddos in a high quality neighborhood preschool in the US as it is in Sweden or Finland. So stay at home parents can take that 1st trimester break!
> guaranteed basic income. Need to take three months off work? You shouldn't need to worry that you will be destitute. Also, you should feel confident that you can stay home if you want to!
> four day work week, plus flexible working hours (and ability to set hours that work rather than have them changed last minute). Folks should be able to work ~30 hours a week and make enough to live. And for folks who have shift work, shifts should be consistent and set in advance.
So... two and a half weeks ago I tripped at home and broke my toe. Like really broke it, on an x-ray, requiring immobilization and rest and elevation. And my boss was a tremendous asshole about it. He was extremely angry about it, and because he can't express his anger over a legitimate medical temporary issue (which caused approximately 1 week of absence/inconvenience before I discovered a short medical boot let me move without crutches, now I'm basically back at full function) he's been taking it out on me in other ways.
This isn't just about women, or leisure, or whatever. It's about people who have power who don't want to put up with what they consider inconveniences but are really other peoples lives.
So, I really love this unofficial (maybe official) other feminists motto: "women's bodies are amazing especially when we allow them to be women's bodies." One thing I think about in the throws of first trimester nausea is this: Even though I feel like I have a three month stomach flu, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. In fact, my body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and the nausea, so I'm told, is a sign of a healthy mom and a healthy baby. So, can I figure out a way not to resent this period of my pregnancy (maybe even embrace it?) and can society figure out a way to support a women's body doing the amazing thing it does?
I love viewing the conversation about the first trimester as sort of a test. If an individual can happily/comfortably weather the first trimester (at home, or at work), the society is in pretty good shape.
A few policy ideas give me some hope:
> universal, affordable, high quality childcare. It should be as easy to enroll kiddos in a high quality neighborhood preschool in the US as it is in Sweden or Finland. So stay at home parents can take that 1st trimester break!
> guaranteed basic income. Need to take three months off work? You shouldn't need to worry that you will be destitute. Also, you should feel confident that you can stay home if you want to!
> four day work week, plus flexible working hours (and ability to set hours that work rather than have them changed last minute). Folks should be able to work ~30 hours a week and make enough to live. And for folks who have shift work, shifts should be consistent and set in advance.