Rachida Dati- friend or foe to working women?

Vanilla said:
Does she create an unrealistic 'superwoman' image that the rest of us cannot live up to?
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She's not creating anything - the media are spinning this. She made her choice - the decision that was right for her. Anyone who now feels 'pressurised' to emulate her decision, needs a good talking to.
 
Mrs. Purple had an emergency caesarian section on our first and was back in work two weeks later. She slackened off on the next two but there's another one on the way now and expect her to follow the French example :D
 
I believe she already had given birth to a few gaffes. She says her love life is complicated? Jasus girl, give us a break and behave as a recently-become mother should do. I feel sorry for your child. C'mon Nell, what are your thoughts on this. And don't give us the usual waffle about "she's got to do what she's got to do".
 
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Purple said:
Mrs. Purple had an emergency caesarian section on our first and was back in work two weeks later. She slackened off on the next two but there's another one on the way now and expect her to follow the French example :D
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Is she self employed by any chance?

Of course you arent meant to drive for 6 weeks after a section so I am assuming this french lady has her own driver. Probably brings baby to work with her if she is breastfeeding as breastfeeding is the norm in france
 
Didnt Sarah Palin continue at a conference and give a 30 minute speech after her waters had broken prematurely on her youngest child and then took a 12 hour flight without informing the airline that her waters had broken?
 
TarfHead said:
She's not creating anything - the media are spinning this. She made her choice - the decision that was right for her. Anyone who now feels 'pressurised' to emulate her decision, needs a good talking to.
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To a certain extent I agree with you- each woman must make her own decision based on her own circumstances.

However I can't help but feel that Dati, being an employee ( and therefore entitled to take maternity leave), and being a public figure, the first female Minister for Justice in France ( open to being corrected on this?) should have taken into account that she is an example to other women.

She is a role model- whether she likes it or not. If she had taken normal maternity leave, would that not make it more acceptable to all that a woman in power can take ml and that her position would not be undermined by doing so. And that in turn would filter down to other organisations, businesses and workplaces...
 
Vanilla said:
However I can't help but feel that Dati, being an employee ( and therefore entitled to take maternity leave), and being a public figure, the first female Minister for Justice in France ( open to being corrected on this?) should have taken into account that she is an example to other women.

She is a role model- whether she likes it or not. If she had taken normal maternity leave, would that not make it more acceptable to all that a woman in power can take ml and that her position would not be undermined by doing so. And that in turn would filter down to other organisations, businesses and workplaces...
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Ye's wanted eqality didn't ye? :p
 
Vanilla said:
However I can't help but feel that Dati, being an employee ( and therefore entitled to take maternity leave), and being a public figure, the first female Minister for Justice in France ( open to being corrected on this?) should have taken into account that she is an example to other women.

She is a role model- whether she likes it or not. If she had taken normal maternity leave, would that not make it more acceptable to all that a woman in power can take ml and that her position would not be undermined by doing so. And that in turn would filter down to other organisations, businesses and workplaces...
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steady on. I don't think she will influence me at all but in the true vein of feminism she is great to ignore this "role model" crap and just go do her job that she probably loves.
 
pennypitstop said:
in the true vein of feminism she is great to ignore this "role model" crap and just go do her job that she probably loves.
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Isn't the whole point of feminism that we can do both? And that one ( having children) should not impact adversely on the other ( the 'career')?

And by not taking ML, isn't she saying to all of the rest of us- you can't do both?
 
Are politicians generally respected as role models anyway though?

I would have thought there was more chance of people following the examples of actual models or C list 'celebs' in reality.
 
Vanilla said:
Isn't the whole point of feminism that we can do both? And that one ( having children) should not impact adversely on the other ( the 'career')?

And by not taking ML, isn't she saying to all of the rest of us- you can't do both?
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Yes you can do both but your way not the way society dictates is the proper way. By not taking Mat Leave she is saying girls if you wanna go back to work and get a nanny when you want to then thats ok too. Why does she have to be "saying" anything to us? we don't have to copy or judge her - we have to make our own decisions to suit ourselves and our own situation.
 
pennypitstop said:
Why does she have to be "saying" anything to us? we don't have to copy or judge her - we have to make our own decisions to suit ourselves and our own situation.
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Because that's the way that society works. If people in high profile positions take ML then it becomes more acceptable for women in general to take ML. Then that in turn makes more powerful positions accessible to women. It filters down from the top to the rest of us.
 
This is a difficult one.

My understanding of the situation is that her position is potentially under threat as Sarkozy is expected to reshuffle his cabinet in the Spring and she may lose out.

If this is behind her motivation to return to work so early - then it's a blow to encouraging more women into politics (and maybe into other high-powered jobs).

I'm not suggesting that her impending demotion is down to her getting pregnant rather than performance, but to fight for her position, it seems like she almost needs to overlook the fact that she has just given birth, which is unfortunate.
 
no it does not filter down. we have maternity leave in Ireland so that when you have a baby you have an entitlement to take a set amoutn of time off - you have to be woman enough to take what suits your family and to have saved to keep yourself in the event of it being unpaid. Where i work senior managers have come back a month after and a year after - nobody bats an eyelid tobehonest.
 
Where i work senior managers have come back a month after and a year after
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In a more localised environment - I can't understand how it would not filter down.

As a woman of child bearing age, I certainly would not like to work for a woman who returned after one month's maternity leave. Rightly or wrongly, I would feel that there would be a negative association with taking an extended maternity leave and that it may effect longer term prospects.
 
Dicette said:
In a more localised environment - I can't understand how it would not filter down.
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well i can only tell you it does - nobody cares its just a case of different strokes

Dicette said:
As a woman of child bearing age, I certainly would not like to work for a woman who returned after one month's maternity leave.
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why because she is obviously a career driven character who would treat women and men equally - or am i way off there?

Dicette said:
Rightly or wrongly, I would feel that there would be a negative association with taking an extended maternity leave and that it may effect longer term prospects.
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FMOE it only has negative associations when someone has say 4 children in 6 years and takes a year off with each one comes in for a few months and is off again - but they they usually leave of their own accord.
 
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