Leading article: Paternity pleading
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference."So," women might well retort at the latest report on paternity leave, "men are at last having to learn what we have experienced for years." And it's true. The finding by the Equality and Human Rights Commission study, that men fear to take their full two-week's paternity entitlement or to ask for flexible working for fear of harming their career prospects, is only what women have had to suffer ever since they entered the workforce.
Which doesn't make it right for fathers any more than the mothers, of course. Only, as women might also say, the least valuable time for paternity leave may be the first weeks. Men can't help with breast feeding and they're hopeless with nappy changing. It's when the kids are toddlers, ever ready to drink the bleach and throw themselves from the top of the stairs, that parenting partnership is really needed. Which is precisely when, of course, employers see least reason to make it possible.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments