Link (URL link is not working): http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/04/mets-slugger-daniel-murphy-and-why-critics-cry-foul-over-paternity-leave/
Although this is not exactly “recent” news, I wanted to share this article because I feel it raises some incredibly important issues about how we conceptualize paternity leave in the United States. While I agree that more attention is being drawn to the issue of unpaid and paid maternity and paternity leave, I think we tend to discuss the concept as a women’s issue only. Let me be clear: I do believe that as a nation we should consider equality for women, especially in the workplace, a top priority. That being said, women are not the only ones who parent. For various reasons, we tend not to discuss issues of paternity leave. Perhaps this is due to the emphasis on and subsequential prioritization of women in the workplace. Whatever the reason, this story highlights several issues in American society, namely that of stigma toward utilizing maternity/paternity leave.
The American public, in my opinion, seems to favor the notion of paid leave for new parents but still stigmatizes individuals whom take advantage of it. The comments made with regard to Mets Player Daniel Murphy’s decision to take paternity leave for three days (yes, just three days resulted in this grand of a backlash) at the start of the MLB season. The controversial comments by broadcasters Mike Francesa and Boomer Esiason raise more interesting questions.
‘“You’re a Major League Baseball player,” Francesa said on air. “You can hire a nurse to take care of the baby if your wife needs help.”
“Quite frankly, I would have said C-section before the season starts. I need to be at opening day, I’m sorry,” Esiason, a former NFL quarterback, said on his radio show.’
Do these comments reflect the American male mentality with regard to masculinity, child rearing, and gender roles? Or do these comments (and the backlash they resulted in) indicate a division between the old ideals of masculinity and the new embrace of more egalitarian gender roles? In particular, how does the setting (professional sports) of the controversy influence perceptions of this issue? Do we hold some men to different standards than others?
Finally, do you feel that the United States promotes family? I ask this question because it seems to me that there is this perception of America as a nation in which family is paramount. It seems that the U.s. defends its ways using a logic that prioritizes family (i.e., the argument against same-sex marriage was supposedly in defense of the family structure) yet, it fails at nearly every level, to provide adequate support, both financial and legal, to new parents regardless of gender.
Do you feel that paternity leave should be discussed in tandem with maternity leave or does one take precedence over the other? Similarly, does helping men become more involved in child rearing and thus family life not promote a healthy balance for the mother (allowing her to work more if she chooses and allows for the sharing of child care duties), stronger connections within the family, and a better situation for children? I think that while women certainly need a great deal more policy change in order to “level the playing field”, so-to-speak, that men should not be ignored in discussing family leave policies. If we are to consider ourselves feminists, shouldn’t we fight for the rights of female and male parents equally, especially considering the benefits it brings for the family unit as a whole?