Let’s get straight to the point: tech giants like Facebook paying for women to freeze their eggs isn’t primarily about empowering women or supporting families. It’s more about polishing their corporate image, especially given the scrutiny they face for being less than supportive of women. For those of us outside Silicon Valley, it often seems like yet another layer of economic inequality is rearing its head.
If you follow the buzz around Facebook and Apple’s egg-freezing benefits, you’ll mostly hear discussions about women’s career ambitions or how these perks are really about enabling women to postpone motherhood indefinitely. (It’s like they’re saying, “Why have a baby when you can keep cranking out work for us?” Cue the villainous laugh.) However, many women see through this narrative. My own choice to delay motherhood—along with my plans to adopt or use a sperm donor if I wasn’t married by 35—had far less to do with a burning desire for career success and much more to do with the reality of wanting to avoid the financial and emotional burden of raising kids alone.
The idea that women are holding off on having kids solely for career advancement is simply not accurate. And once a woman secures that coveted corner office, would she really be willing to give it up?—as noted by Jessica Hart, author of “Modern Motherhood: Finding Balance in Chaos.”
What’s Missing: Childcare Support
Beyond dispelling myths, what’s really missing from these so-called gestures of support for working mothers is the essential need for childcare.
Sure, let’s applaud Facebook and others for offering paid maternity and paternity leave; it’s a step in the right direction. But once a child is born and starts babbling, what happens to the parent trying to return to work?
For many mothers, getting back into the workforce means finding someone else to care for their kids. And while this is a common necessity—over 40% of working families leave their young children in the care of someone other than family during the day—the troubling stories about unregulated childcare services have raised serious red flags.
In my experience covering finances and parenting, I’ve often had to help people navigate the frustrating math of whether it’s even worth going back to work when their earnings often just cover childcare costs. Although it’s usually beneficial to stay in the workforce to maintain skills and connections—and let’s be honest, working can sometimes be a welcome escape—many tech employees can afford quality childcare that rivals private school tuition. But the focus on subsidizing egg freezing rather than actual parenting support is a glaring commentary on how we treat working mothers in this country.
The Reality of Working Mothers
Consider one of the most successful nonprofits for working women, Dress for Success. This organization, which assists over 70,000 women annually, has expanded from helping women prepare for interviews to offering professional coaching and financial education (full disclosure: I’ve been involved with them). Many mothers in their programs—often juggling unemployment, debt, and assistance—manage to secure full-time jobs with benefits. That’s fantastic, right?
Then, reality strikes. Their kids get sick and they can’t make it to work. Many are single mothers with little family support. What happens when school is out for random teacher development days, and there’s no one available to care for their little ones? Unfortunately, many moms face job loss. Childcare is the vital element that Dress for Success can’t provide, although they are advocating for better employer support.
All that hard work, all the progress made—it can all unravel because of the challenges of childcare.
A Call to Action for Tech Giants
So, tell us, Facebook: if you can offer dog daycare and spa days, and genuinely want women to “lean in,” where’s the support for childcare?
Maybe it’s because biotech is trendy and eggs aren’t quite babies yet—no diapers or vaccination appointments required. Plus, at a cool $20,000, it’s a lot cheaper than funding comprehensive childcare solutions. However, the reality of motherhood might not fit the fast-paced image that companies want to cultivate, even though providing childcare would likely lead to happier employees and healthier families.
Further Reading
If you’re interested in learning more about home insemination options, check out our other posts, like this one on intracervical insemination. And if you’re looking for expert advice on artificial insemination, Make a Mom has some great resources. For those diving deeper into the topic of pregnancy and home insemination, the ASRM offers valuable insights.
In summary, while tech companies may have made strides in supporting women through egg-freezing benefits, they still fall short in providing the necessary childcare support that working mothers truly need. Until that changes, the conversation about women’s empowerment in the workplace will remain incomplete.