Choice between motherhood and career got a little easier today
| 
I went to the Melbourne Writers Festival panel on political journalism this morning, because if Lindsay Tanner, Samantha Maiden, Jay Rosen and Greg Jericho are prepared to spend an hour talking about what is working and what isn’t in political journalism now, I want to listen to it.
More on what they actually said later (if I can find the time) but, on a totally unrelated matter, something happened that shouldn't rate a mention, but also really should.
Samantha Maiden walked out on stage with a baby draped over her shoulder. It was obviously a very young baby and a remarkable placid one, who slept though most of the discussion. When he/she woke a little, Maiden just started feeding and carried on with her speech.
I was slightly distracted by the fact that she was there looking alert, showered and didn’t skip a beat in the snappy debate that followed (how do you DO that with a new baby, two more at home and a full time job *boggle*) but no-one else seemed to give it a second thought.
Nor should they, and I hope no-one takes this as a criticism of Maiden – it’s not at all, quite the opposite – but it occurred to me to wonder if she would have been able to carry it off with such insouciance 10 years ago. My guess is probably not.
I would even suggest that not every woman would be able to do so now, Maiden is a senior figure in her field and has earned her place on an expert panel; a woman lacking her gravitas might have more trouble trying to manage a public appearance with a small baby in tow.
However, as a sign of how far public acceptance of breastfeeding, mothering and women not having to choose between career and motherhood, I found it hugely encouraging.
I hope I’m not the only one.
+ 4 + 0 | < Prev | Next > |
|---|
- May, 2012
If you know anything at all about the Tribune, you probably know that it’s quite a small thing. There are only two of us...
- February, 2012
The inestimable Tim Dunlop and I were having coffee together a few months back and discussing internet trolls, the...
- November, 2011
There's been a bit of screeching in the blogosphere about police brutality at the OccupyMelbourne protests. It's not...
- November, 2011
3:47am: Sit bolt upright in bed groping around for bellows. Stare around darkened bedroom trying to work out why am not...
- November, 2011
"Politics hates a vacuum. If it isn't filled with hope, someone will fill it with fear."
Naomi Klein
Australians are...
- October, 2011
Ever since the vagaries of politics put Andrew Wilkie into a position where he could insist on gambling reforms, Clubs...
- October, 2011
Popped my being-on-the-radio cherry this morning, with the help of the RRR Breakfasters.
As you can tell from the shaky...
- August, 2011
The slapfest is ON.
It started on Monday. Glenn Milne rehashed some old rumours about Prime Minister Julia Gillard that...
- August, 2011
I went to the Melbourne Writers Festival panel on political journalism this morning, because if Lindsay Tanner, Samantha...
- August, 2011
News Flash, folks: there are shitheads in the world. Some of them are rich, some of them are poor, they come from every...
- July, 2011
Some of you may have noticed that things have been quiet here at Casa Del Tribune lately. Too quiet.
About June this year...
- July, 2011
After about an hour of the Murdochs' committee appearance the other night I was just about ready to stick knitting...
- July, 2011
If ever I need proof that each generation is softer than the last I think of this: When my grandfather was my age he was...
- July, 2011
The Australian International Motor Show has returned to Melbourne this year.
I love the Motor Show, for it brings all the...
- June, 2011
For the past few weeks our Australian public channels SBS and ABC have been on an emotional roll, with three stories that...
- June, 2011
I’ve been working from home for a while now, which, apart from turning me into a deranged shut-in, at least means that I...
- June, 2011
Wearing cream coloured pants can be dangerous, not just a you-might-end-up-looking-like-a-very-large-biscuit kind of...
- June, 2011
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), their spokeswoman Wendy Francis and the Rip & Roll campaign for safe sex in the...
- May, 2011
Slutwalk Melbourne. Read my thoughts on it here. Or not. Up to you really. But the photos are pretty cool, huh?
- May, 2011
Did you know there's a Facebook campaign to get The Bolt Report off the air? The plan is to note who advertises on the...