Federal Minister Ursula von der Leyen
Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Alexanderplatz 6
10178 Berlin
Germany
Dear Dr. von der Leyen,
You lived in Stanford, California, just a short drive from where I live, in the mid-1990s, so you are probably aware of the small amount of attention that is devoted to international news in the mainstream media. It was just today that I learned that Germany is now led by a woman for the first time. Hooray! And it seems as though this new leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, made a wise choice selecting you for the position of minister for family affairs.
I read about you in an article on the issue of working mothers in Germany. I was fascinated that there is a specific word in German, Rabenmutter (mother raven), that is a derogatory term for mothers who work outside the home. It’s astounding that this issue is still so ingrained in societies worldwide. What is even more astounding is that with these issues still at hand, many women who ought to know better think we don’t need feminism any more.
With seven children, you know the struggle first hand of balancing family and work. I have been a mother of one for less than two years, and am in a situation that many American women share: the employment I had when I gave birth would not have paid enough to even cover childcare, had I wanted to return to the job. While I love being home with my daughter, I also have little choice. It feels strange to be in a situation that is so stereotypically “traditional” in a patriarchal system. Few talk openly about the corner into which parenthood paints people. Just as it is seen as unpatriotic to question war in a time of war, it is frowned upon to question the family structure when you are supposed to be part of a family.
An ideal and unrealistic solution for my family would be for my husband and myself to each work half-time. Working part-time, though, tends to garner less pay and no benefits. I have read about “job-sharing,” but have never seen it put into practice. Do you have such a system in Germany? As someone who has some knowledge of, and distance from, the united States, why do you think we are unable to put some seemingly-simple changes into practice to help families when “family values” are supposedly our top priority?
Thanks for your time. Good luck in all your endeavors.
Truly,
Liz Mann