The United States is one of only six countries in the world without federal paid family or maternity leave. One in four women have had to return to work within two weeks of giving birth. And only 25 percent of working people in the US have access to paid leave through their jobs.
Let that information sink in. Most people in this country have no paid leave, and little to no financial support when they have a baby or need to care for themselves or a loved one. It’s as shocking as it is absurd to force new parents to choose between a paycheck or their child. To have to rack up debt in order to raise a new generation.
Glamour first highlighted this appalling injustice in September 2022, in our award-winning project following eight women with varying access to paid leave through the first 28 days postpartum.
Now, we’ve teamed up with Paid Leave for All and Mother advertising agency to launch a provocative new public awareness campaign, featuring a satirical baby book series called “Get Your Sh*t Together, Baby.”
The books “teach” newborns everything they need to care for themselves when their parents have been forced back to work, including how to boil water for their own bottle and how to go into debt to pay for their own care.
And some of our favorite stars and comedians, including Stephanie Beatriz, Lisa Ann Walter, Karamo Brown, Catherine Reitman, Kelly McCreary, Jenna Dewan and more, have joined forces with Glamour for some very special book readings.
Of course we know a two week old baby can’t really learn to cook, or make their own doctor’s appointments. But our spoof books are no more ridiculous than America’s real life lack of paid leave.
And now it’s time for the policy makers and politicians to do the job they promised—put our nation’s families and parents first, and pass paid leave.
So turn your outrage into action, and sign our petition to congress. It’s finally time to #passpaidleave.
