As a woman who is childfree by choice and has been fighting against judgment and criticism for being childfree my whole life, I am disgusted with Deb Frecklington, QLD opposition leader and her recent comments.
As a woman, it is hard enough to break through the glass ceiling and move into leadership roles yet here is someone who is leading a political party still acting like a mean girl in high school.
I don’t care how the media and Liberal Party want to spin it, Frecklington comments about how she had “no choice but to remain grounded” because she had children is a blatant attack at Annastacia Palaszczuk for not having children. Mum bullying at its best! Read between the lines and this screams “I am better than you because I have had kids”
Seriously it is 2020 and this is the sort of behavior that needs to stop. This is exactly why I wrote my book A Childfree Happily Ever After and why I am trying to set up programs in the workplace to educate employers and women about what is acceptable and not acceptable when it comes to discussing women’s choice to have or not have kids.
I have been documented on many occasions talking about how women are the worst critics of other women and this goes to prove my point yet again.
Let’s not forget the fact that Annastacia has not had children through choice but circumstance, something that is emotionally and mentally challenging for women who want kids and cannot have them. She is childless, not childfree and attacking her for this is morally wrong on so many levels and a seriously low blow from someone who is supposed to be in a position of leadership.
Lead the way for women Deb, don’t use children as a weapon in your political diatribe. The status of Annastacia’s uterus is of no relevance to her ability to do her job – FACT!!
I agree with the comment on Twitter from @emmahusarmp “Shaming a woman for being childless, the clothes she wears is not the role model you ought to be setting as a wannabe premier for girls & women”
@Kkeneally also got it spot on “It’s well past time to be attacking a female politician for her clothes – yet it still keeps happening. Play the ball, not the woman!!”
As an advocate for choice and women making their own rules in life, I think Deb and friends need to take a long hard look at themselves and their attitudes towards women without kids. You don’t have a better life and you aren’t any better either. You have a different life that is all. So, while you might get grounded through your kids Deb, don’t criticise Annastacia or any other women for doing things there way. You want to shop at Target go ahead but don’t have a go at someone else because they choose to wear designer clothes or have a different lifestyle to you. You don’t get ahead by dragging other people down.
As this continues to happen in a society that should know better, it confirms my belief that the sisterhood is bullshit and women aren’t really there for each other, (they just like to pretend to be). I know that is a big generalisation but stories like this make me sad and disheartened for what is to come. Deb Frecklington should be standing beside Annastacia Palaszczuk as a fellow woman leader in a man’s world, that’s what the sisterhood is supposed to be about.
And the media aren’t guilt-free here either. They need to think about the stories they are writing to sell papers and get clicks. I would like to see the media report on stories that uplift, inspire and support women, not drag them through the mud in their 4-inch heels?
Concentrate on doing your job Deb and not on what someone is wearing or how many kids they may or may not have. If this is how you support women, then you’ll never get my vote!
Sources:
Photo courtesy of ABC
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