My son was born in 1983.  In those halcyon days, the conversations in board rooms, C-Suites, and law firms was putting a good pregnancy policy in place regarding women in the workforce who wanted to get pregnant.  Everyone wanted to have a legally blessed policy such as that in place to attract and retain women.  The law of discrimination was evolving so that no employer could ask a young woman if she was married or if she wanted to have children.  No one was permitted to suggest a question like, "Who's going to take care of the baby?"  "How are you going to meet your job responsibilities?"  "Does your husband work?"

Daycare centers were opened in downtown buildings around the country.  Municipal and state employees saw workplaces create daycare on job sites all over.  And in firms where this was not done, it became acceptable to bring the baby or toddler to work.  I did it more than once, although it was not an everyday occurrence.  My assistant was afforded the same accommodation for her child.  I had toys in my office for such an occasion.  God help the boss who questioned such an arrangement.

Firm benefits included childcare payments, and work schedules became more flexible as women wanted to participate in the life activities of their children.  Well, forget all of that.  They don't realize it, but that all just went out the window. 

My son is now 39.  And I woke up this week to screaming woke pronouncements about large national corporations virtue-signaling — they think — "We'll pay for your abortion and travel if you can't get one in your state."  And then today joined by law firms who seem to lack any understanding of discrimination, women's lives, and their needs and rights — they are going to do it, too.  Horrified doesn't begin to cover it. 

So here is a conversation to be held in the near future:

Young Female Associate: Hi boss, partner, I just found out I am pregnant.

Boss: Well, dear.  What are you going to do?  You know you are up for partner next year. 

Young Woman: Uh, well...

Boss: We support you no matter what you decide.  But if you have to take six weeks off in the middle of that trial that starts a few months from now...well.

Young Woman: Uh...

Boss: We're here to help you make that decision, dear.  You know we will pay...now, about this discovery...

If you don't think this will happen again and again, then you do not understand the corporate and legal world. 

Then there will be the discrimination complaints from people in states where abortion is legal who will not have their abortions and related expenses paid as a benefit, complaining about their unequal treatment relative to the other women in their company in states where abortion is not legal who get their abortions and related expense paid. 

Companies going to keep statistics on all this?  Does anyone out there think this will be a choice?

It's a brave new world, folks...but for women, it is back to the old world, and it is going to have to be up to them to be brave.

Image: Lorie Shaull via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.