General Discussion

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

11. Most Americans have no clue that

Sun Jan 19, 2014, 02:33 PM

Jan 2014

this is one of the very few countries with no paid maternal leave. Worse yet, there's a weird sort of competition among new mothers or mothers-to-be about how close to their delivery date they work and how quickly after giving birth they return to the job. The idea of spending any meaningful time whatsoever with the new baby just isn't on too many women's radar. Of course, the very fact that we have no legally mandated paid maternity leave is what's at fault.

Also, if anything it's gotten worse over the years. Back in the 1960's, when I worked for the telephone company as an operator, they had a policy allowing a woman up to a full year of (unpaid) maternity leave. Lots of those women took it, most typically leaving work at about six months into the pregnancy, and returning when the baby was nine months old. Yes, it was unpaid, but it was there with the guarantee of your job back when you returned.

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Here's the map forced-birth American Taliban don't want you to see... [View all] Triana Jan 2014 OP

we're number one!! niyad Jan 2014 #1

The best health care system in the world! Auntie Bush Jan 2014 #6

... Soylent Brice Jan 2014 #78

Money is the most important thing in America. Rex Jan 2014 #2

It's not just us! We're in good company. Comrade Grumpy Jan 2014 #3

Hey, If it's good enough for Tonga... nt TheBlackAdder Jan 2014 #4

FREEDOM! FREEDOM! USA USA USA!!! tblue Jan 2014 #5

What a shame. CFLDem Jan 2014 #7

Hey, if you want to live somewhere that values women and motherhood... Deep13 Jan 2014 #8

So much for caring for the unborn. A mother on paid ML is one with less stress Fla Dem Jan 2014 #9

They only care about the unborn. Thav Jan 2014 #102

Butbutbut Dirty Socialist Jan 2014 #10

Most Americans have no clue that SheilaT Jan 2014 #11

Hmmmm......I don't remember it that way in my case llmart Jan 2014 #25

It was the telephone company, Ma Bell. SheilaT Jan 2014 #71

We are so awesum! City Lights Jan 2014 #12

There's Your . . FairWinds Jan 2014 #13

Shameful. I'm using the term "forced birth" to describe anti-abortionists gtar100 Jan 2014 #14

anti-choice, woman-hating, pro-forced birthers is my short name for them (have a few more, but niyad Jan 2014 #83

It's a little bit like this map the Ts don't want you to see: Bernardo de La Paz Jan 2014 #15

And we were the first country to tell the world to go metric. n/t. airplaneman Jan 2014 #23

Wasn't it France? Them having invented the system and all? 2ndAmForComputers Jan 2014 #33

Metric: France. Decimalization: Americans. Bernardo de La Paz Jan 2014 #95

Amazing how all the maps look alike father founding Jan 2014 #88

Part of the problem is that adieu Jan 2014 #16

"they want to make government irrelevant so that companies can do whatever they want . . ." Triana Jan 2014 #30

Brilliant. JDPriestly Jan 2014 #54

Why... AlbertCat Jan 2014 #17

"American Taliban"? A bit of an extreme analogy, don't you think? George II Jan 2014 #18

Not at all. It's actually quite accurate. JaneyVee Jan 2014 #19

Their gun fetish is actually their desire to someday use their guns to kill us "unbelievers." alfredo Jan 2014 #26

What do all of those things have to do with lack of paid maternal leave? George II Jan 2014 #27

they'd like to force women to have babies, then hobble their careers for doing so. bettyellen Jan 2014 #36

And force them to drink gallons of oil, too? (oil drilling was one of things in your "list") George II Jan 2014 #38

not my list. and I think the oil didn't belong on it- but DRINK OIL? WHO SAID THIS? bettyellen Jan 2014 #41

correct....sorry, it was further up the chain. George II Jan 2014 #44

It's of a piece, all those things reflect their ultra conservative values and have a very bettyellen Jan 2014 #47

The OP was about paid maternity leave and ONLY paid maternity leave! On that issue......... George II Jan 2014 #49

It's not uncommon for men to be so selfishly unconcerned about reproductive rights. bettyellen Jan 2014 #51

But, yet once again - you're drifting off topic. George II Jan 2014 #53

it's interesting you think it is a narrow topic- anyone who is familiar with the oppression of women bettyellen Jan 2014 #65

Say what you will, the ONLY thing that the OP shows is that the US is one of a few countries... George II Jan 2014 #67

Well, thanks for your impassioned defense of American RW extremists, LOL. bettyellen Jan 2014 #70

I find your accusation of me defending American RW extremists and being ignorant of........ George II Jan 2014 #85

you are aware, of course, that there is nothing in the tos that requires one to stay "on the narrow niyad Jan 2014 #82

Yes, I am aware of that, but it's unseemly especially when the poster who has gone off topic... George II Jan 2014 #84

as I said, keep it up. we all need the laughs. remdi85 niyad Jan 2014 #86

But after a while it ceases to be funny. Enthusiast Jan 2014 #99

Agreed. I was able to follow along with the discussion. Apparently somebody else wasn't. Can't gtar100 Jan 2014 #93

thank you, it isn't often people pretend to completely misunderstand the context of an oft used bettyellen Jan 2014 #104

They're destructive policies supported by religious conservatives? Bradical79 Jan 2014 #64

The GOP nominated one in 2012: Bernardo de La Paz Jan 2014 #20

It's a pretty apt description of our country. Vashta Nerada Jan 2014 #21

Nope. n/t KarenS Jan 2014 #22

I agree, but we are in the minority here on that issue. nt 7962 Jan 2014 #32

It's pretty repulsive that people around here would equate a terrorist state with.... George II Jan 2014 #35

Except the OP didn't do that dreamnightwind Jan 2014 #39

NOTHING was "discussed" in the OP - it was a single graphic with no text other than the subject line George II Jan 2014 #42

perhaps you need to read up on what we call "the american taliban" s the OP was bettyellen Jan 2014 #43

Perhaps, but going back to my first post on the subject, I think that reference is extreme. George II Jan 2014 #46

yeah, the Taliban isn't imprisoning women or forcing dead women to incubate babies�. or bettyellen Jan 2014 #48

Yet AGAIN - WHERE are all of those things mentioned in the OP? Sheesh! George II Jan 2014 #50

They don't need to be spelled out to anyone who has advocated for womens' rights. We are quite bettyellen Jan 2014 #66

Oh, I see.... George II Jan 2014 #68

It's not a game. If you don't understand why people have been calling the religious right the bettyellen Jan 2014 #69

Still trying? dreamnightwind Jan 2014 #45

Straw man argument? Please explain. George II Jan 2014 #62

Already did that dreamnightwind Jan 2014 #73

Ah, the dance continues.... George II Jan 2014 #75

No it doesn't dreamnightwind Jan 2014 #79

Hey George! Caretha Jan 2014 #77

Not really, no. Lunacee_2013 Jan 2014 #58

How so? seattledo Jan 2014 #74

Forced birth + no paid leave is extreme. SunSeeker Jan 2014 #81

Nope. It fits perfectly. (nt) paleotn Jan 2014 #96

Would Tealiban be more preferable? nt livingwagenow Jan 2014 #100

Any group that wants to restrict the freedoms of others in the name of religion mountain grammy Jan 2014 #101

Referring to them as "right wing religious extremists" would be so much better, especially for.... George II Jan 2014 #105

No required paid sick leave either TexasBushwhacker Jan 2014 #24

More exceptionalism!! oldandhappy Jan 2014 #28

In Denmark they also get paid PATERNAL leave. cui bono Jan 2014 #29

It makes sense. Triana Jan 2014 #31

Yes dreamnightwind Jan 2014 #40

In Germany too and here's why: FourScore Jan 2014 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author FourScore Jan 2014 #57

There's another angle jeff47 Jan 2014 #103

EI also provides 'Parental' benefits here for a period of up to 35 weeks, polly7 Jan 2014 #72

k&r n/t RainDog Jan 2014 #34

We can't have "lazy mothers" Politicalboi Jan 2014 #37

Wait, do you really expect them to actually care about the vessels (women) that carry those babies? Lunacee_2013 Jan 2014 #52

American Exceptionalism. Exceptionally backward, that is. DirkGently Jan 2014 #55

They don't understand why women are working outside the home to begin with. FourScore Jan 2014 #59

Once you're born it's bootstrap time. JEB Jan 2014 #60

that is a disturbing map frwrfpos Jan 2014 #61

we are exceptional!! lunasun Jan 2014 #76

Civilization's bane The Wizard Jan 2014 #63

Oh, Beautiful defacto7 Jan 2014 #80

American business never concerns itself with things maternal..... DeSwiss Jan 2014 #87

what does forced birth and paid leave have to do with one another? ileus Jan 2014 #89

Job security and financial stress A Little Weird Jan 2014 #91

I live in one of the two nations that has a half year or more of maternity leave davidpdx Jan 2014 #90

That is a damning map! blackspade Jan 2014 #92

But we're the ''Greatest Nation'' in the world! YOHABLO Jan 2014 #94

It wasn't too long ago onlyadream Jan 2014 #97

What does this tell us about the nation? Enthusiast Jan 2014 #98