Flexibility, Advocacy, and the Politics of Care

Episode notes

If you say you don't want to be political, it's often because the system is already working for you. For those of us who've had to fight for flexibility, access, or equity—that's never been an option. The Privilege of Silence When someone says, "I don't do politics," what they're really saying is that they're comfortable with the way things are. That comfort signals that their own ease matters more than the discomfort others experience under the same system. For many people—including me—that kind of silence has never been an option. Personal Experience When I became a parent, I had no choice but to advocate for more flexibility in my work life. The traditional nine-to-five structure simply didn't accommodate what my family needed. My husband's self-employment gave us some breathing room, but it still wasn't an ideal solution. I had to push against systems that weren't built with me—or families like mine—in mind. The Political Nature of Advocacy And that's the thing: standing up for what you need, especially when it's outside the norm, is inherently political. Asking for flexibility, becoming a subject matter expert, speaking out publicly—these are all political acts.