Feminism Is For Everyone

May 9, 2008,12:36 PM

Pregnant Cop Denied Desk Duty

In Ocean, New Jersey, a Officer Sonia Henriques, who is 2 monthes pregnant, has been denied a desk job so that she can continue working without risking harm to her unborn child. Management has told Henriques that she should either stay on patrol or take a leave of unpaid absense (after she uses all of her sick days). Other officers (male) who have had disabilites have been given desk jobs in the past.

I found this article on cnn.com and 7online.com. There is a cool comment from "mraj" (from 7online.com) : "American is the only place we set rules for mothers. we wanted to give tougher work to a mom who is carrying a baby. We want to degrade her performance if she does not do it. Women have a weaker voice before congress and corporate america."
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6124803

This raises an important debate in feminism- should we treat men and women as equals or acknowledge that women and men are different (ie women have special needs as mothers?) Can feminism encorporate both or is it one or the other? Which one is more important/central to feminism?