General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: what do childfree/childless people get instead of "parental leave?" [View all]BainsBane
(53,180 posts)and many employers include it with sick and or family leave. But we live in a country where workers are not even guaranteed sick leave if their employers don't wish to pay it. It was not too long ago that women could be fired for becoming pregnant and taking time off to give birth. I don't object to a mandate for family leave, but I think guarantees for sick leave and parental leave should come first. I also don't think such family leave should be denied to people with children, as a quid pro quo for the childless, but dependent on need.
No individual needs to have a child, but without many doing so the human race would be extinct. I see these reforms as about the collective social good, not a series of individual benefits. Your idea that you should "get" a gym membership or some similar perk in exchange for reforms for a more just society is IMO an unfortunate way to look at it.