Here’s a story that’s oh so cherishing the world of motherhood. Unfortunately it’s an issue a lot of women face – trying to balance having a career and having a family. And the folks in California seemed to be confused about this. If you’re unwed and unemployed you can apparently have all the babies you want (to then be supported by taxpayers) AND  be put on a pedestal as a victim of public scrutiny. But the audacity of a successful, career-driven woman who is married to a successful man and has the financial support to start a family at 22 – oh, that’s just something SOME Californians just cannot comprehend. Honestly, WTF!

This week WNBA star Candace Parker announced she was starting a family. You’d think this would be cause for celebration, but apparently there are some people who aren’t excited to throw the expecting mom a baby shower.

Parker probably figured the news would be non-controversial, given that the fresh-faced Los Angeles Sparks forward and Olympic gold medalist is happily married to Sacramento Kings forward Shelden Williams. Both earn more than enough to support a family: Parker alone reaps millions on and off the court as one of the most celebrated women athletes in the world.  But Parker’s pregnancy was not greeted with the same approval and tolerance that many of today’s child-bearing sexagenarians and single mothers by choice enjoy when they form their families. Instead, Parker was blasted by fans and pundits for becoming a mother at age 22. Critics bemoaned her selfishness in putting maternal ambitions ahead of her team’s 2009 season prospects. Others lamented her foolishness for starting a family when she should be living a strings-free existence oriented around her glamorous career.

Oh and here’s how her boss responded:

“My first reaction was to just shake my head. We’re inured to this by now so I guess I thought. ‘Oh, yeah, she’s having a baby. Yeah, of course.”

Shaking your head – my guess in disappointment because who shakes their head in joy, really. Good grief, boss-lady, could you TONE IT DOWN on the support front. Geez. LOL.

Parker responded with the best comment possible. The fact she even has to comment on justifying her choice to start a family is what is ridiculous.

“The biggest thing for me is not a matter of if or when [I return] but of coming back with a good balance in my life.”

You know, I’m going through the same thing. Not to get to personal but I plan to start a family sometime this year or next, but this has been a hard decision. On one hand you don’t want to sacrifice your career but on the other you don’t want to sacrifice your family for a job. I think society is starting to put too much pressure on women that they have to try and be these super women – be the VP, be the super mommy, be in fabulous shape, be EVERYTHING. I think it’s getting to be too much on women. I’ve seen how in trying to do all of these things it affects women in the workplace. And women are discriminated against it every single fucking day. It pisses me off. I’ve seen a woman not get offered a job because there was the only the possibility she would get pregnant at some point. Even though that woman was the most qualified candidate. No I’m honestly not joking which is sad.  There should be nothing wrong with a woman deciding to have a baby at any point in her career. AND it shouldn’t be held against her to stay at home, out of the job market, if she chooses to for a few years. Only a small percentage of companies offer day care . The cost of daycare is outrageous and most of the time isn’t cost-effective when compared to the woman just staying at home or working part-time until the child is in school.

Since when did choosing to start a family become something both women and men (but especially women) must apologize for? Isn’t giving life one of the (if not the main) purposes of living? I can accept if somebody chooses not to have children OR waits until later to have children. But to vilify women for choosing to start their family when they have a stable family and career – grrr, I just don’t get it.  I thought two years ago I would start having kids for another five years, but then I started to realize that those five years means five years I don’t have with my children. And for what??? More time at work – ummm, thumbs freakin’ up! Please, work will always be there but time with your family will not. At the end of your life and you could take that time back, are you going to wish you had spent that time devoted more to your career or to more time with your family? I don’t think that question should be difficult to answer.

HotAir also makes an excellent double standard point:

No one seems to be making that argument about her husband, however, even though he plays the same sport for the NBA’s Kings, even though he can reasonably expect to take some time off for the birth.

Is a basketball game now more important than a family? What IF Parker is having one of the world’s next great leaders? What IF her child will find the next great cure or be the next great poet? Granted we don’t know what her child will be but the fact that some are putting the LA Sparks’ season on the shoulders of a mom-to-be is completely ludicrous.  And I bet it’s these same folks putting up a stink that also say they’re for “women’s rights.” Riiight, whatever you need to tell yourself.


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