Choice Quote by Jacinda Ardern
“A lot of women in New Zealand feel like they have to make a choice between having babies and having a career or continuing their career. So is that a decision you feel you have to make or that you feel you've already made?”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on gender equity, New Zealand Prime Minister, 2023
Women often perceive a false binary between motherhood and professional advancement, feeling pressured to choose one over the other.
In simple terms: Women feel they must pick either kids or a career.
Key Takeaway
Challenge the notion that you must sacrifice one for the other.
Themes
gender equity
work-life balance
career
social expectations
Mood
reflective
determined
hopeful
Type
advice
policy
inspirational
When to use this quote
- parental leave planning
- career counseling
- employer flexibility programs
- public policy debates
Key Concepts
intersectionality
choice architecture
policy impact
Questions to Reflect On
- How can workplaces redesign policies to support both parenting and career growth?
- What personal compromises feel unavoidable?
A Different Perspective
Societal norms and structural barriers can limit real choice despite rhetoric of freedom.
