Woman Wants Maternity Leave to Exist for People Without Kids
A woman is making waves because of a unique proclamation regarding maternity paternity leave.
Author Meghann Foye, 38, tells The New York Post she champions the concept of 'meternity' leave, in which women get time off for work to focus on herself, even if she hasn't had a baby.
It seemed that parenthood was the only path that provided a modicum of flexibility. There’s something about saying “I need to go pick up my child” as a reason to leave the office on time that has far more gravitas than, say, “My best friend just got ghosted by her OkCupid date and needs a margarita” — but both sides are valid.
Foye, who's written a book (fiction) called Meternity, says the concept of a "meternity leave" would be beneficial for women:
But when you have a child, you learn how to self-advocate to put the needs of your family first. A well-crafted “meternity” can give you the same skills — and taking one shouldn’t disqualify you from taking maternity leave later.
Foye knows from what she speaks. "As for me, I did eventually give notice at my job and take a 'meternity' of my own," she says. "I may not have been changing diapers, but I grappled with self-doubt for the year and a half that I spent away from the corporate world."
Foye's opinion is somewhat radical and has caused more than a ripple, with many people blasting her, claiming maternity leave is not a vacation that can compare to what she is touting. What do you think?