--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To emphasize how truly backward our…" description: "\"“To emphasize how truly backward our society is...let's finish with a little quiz. Let's do it like Jeopardy. In 1990, this government required compani..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f9/susan-j-douglas-23212_children_to-emphasize-how-truly-backward-our-soci_2334814.jpg" --- # To emphasize how truly backward our society is...let's… ![“To emphasize how truly backward our society is...let's finish with a little quiz. Let's do it like Jeopardy. In 1990, this government required companies to give a new mother a year's leave at 90% pay. Answer: What was Sweden? This country provided nurseries for most children over eighteen months…” quote by Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f9/susan-j-douglas-23212_children_to-emphasize-how-truly-backward-our-soci_2334814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f9/susan-j-douglas-23212_children_to-emphasize-how-truly-backward-our-soci_2334814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f9/susan-j-douglas-23212_children_to-emphasize-how-truly-backward-our-soci_2334814.jpg) > ““To emphasize how truly backward our society is...let's finish with a little quiz. Let's do it like Jeopardy. In 1990, this government required companies to give a new mother a year's leave at 90% pay. Answer: What was Sweden? This country provided nurseries for most children over eighteen months. Answer: What was Sweden? Nearly half of the children under three in this country were in publicly financed nurseries, and nearly 95% of children three to six were (and are). Answer: What is Denmark? In this country, 95% of children aged three to five are in preschool. Answer: What is France? This country provides care for one quarter of children under three in wholly or partially subsidized nurseries. Answer: What is France? In 1984, this country gave workers twelve weeks of maternity leave with pay. Answer: What is Brazil? (Yes, Brazil!) This country mandated eight weeks of maternity leave WITH PAY. Answer: What is Kenya? (You heard us, Kenya!) This country provided none of these things; instead, to help mothers and small children, its magazines featured profiles of rich celebrity moms who could show women how to do it all. Answer: What was the United States?”” [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage critiques how various nations support families with extensive parental leave and childcare, highlighting the U.S.'s lack of comparable policies. **In simple terms:** Many countries provide strong family support; the U.S. does not. Key Takeaway Advocate for better family policies. Themes family policy comparative analysis social welfare gender equity Mood critical informative Type analytical explanatory When to use this quote - policy debates - legislative reform - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts parental leave public childcare subsidies social safety net Questions to Reflect On - How can public opinion shift to demand more family support? - What lessons can the U.S. learn from these countries? A Different Perspective U.S. cultural attitudes toward individualism may hinder policy change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer Denmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-denmark-5630095/) [Answer France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-france-2645455/) [Answer Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-sweden-5630093/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Maternity leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maternity-leave/) [Nurseries Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurseries-answer-5630094/) ## Related quotes > [Thomas Jefferson asked himself “In what country on earth would you rather live ” He first answered “Certainly in my own where are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/thomas-jefferson-asked-himself-in-what-country-on-earth-would-you/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It's interesting that there's so many different sides of this: Women get frustrated that we don't get paid enough; and then the Republicans or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/it-s-interesting-that-there-s-so-many-different-sides-of-this-women/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [Because women get more labor rights than men, meaning they get maternity leave, the employer prefers to hire men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/because-women-get-more-labor-rights-than-men-meaning-they-get/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [I'm excited about going back to 'Today,' but, at odd moments, I'll grit my teeth in anxiety. 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Some of it occurs because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-nusslein-volhard/in-german-science-we-have-a-special-problem-we-lose-talented-women-at/) [Christiane Nusslein-Volhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-nusslein-volhard/) > [While I am a pro-life woman, I am also a woman who is concerned about rights for the disabled, maternity leave, the death penalty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/while-i-am-a-pro-life-woman-i-am-also-a-woman-who-is-concerned-about/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [“It is cheaper and more efficient to replace labour than to reproduce it sequentially by fulfilling the rights of women workers to maternity leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/it-is-cheaper-and-more-efficient-to-replace-labour-than-to-reproduce/) [Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/) > [I had to learn how to not be a micro-manager. Maternity leave made me do that. I just couldn't anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-had-to-learn-how-to-not-be-a-micro-manager-maternity-leave-made-me/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [Maternity leave is for women to hide and heal their disintegrating body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/maternity-leave-is-for-women-to-hide-and-heal-their-disintegrating/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [The truth is I don't want my baby out in the freezing cold just because there's an election. But there is no such thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/the-truth-is-i-don-t-want-my-baby-out-in-the-freezing-cold-just/) [Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/) > [Every time a woman leaves the workforce because she can't find or afford childcare, or she can't work out a flexible arrangement with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/every-time-a-woman-leaves-the-workforce-because-she-can-t-find-or/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [I come from Canada, and maternity leave is six months to a year, and they also have paternity leave, and I think that there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/i-come-from-canada-and-maternity-leave-is-six-months-to-a-year-and/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [“Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/forty-percent-of-employed-mothers-lack-sick-days-and-vacation-leave/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## More by Susan J. Douglas > [“At the very same time that we witnessed the explosion of white celebrity moms, and the outpouring of advice to a surveillance of middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/at-the-very-same-time-that-we-witnessed-the-explosion-of-white/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“After all, the media have been and are the major dispenser of the ideals and norms surrounding motherhood: Millions of us have gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/after-all-the-media-have-been-and-are-the-major-dispenser-of-the/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“Because the media always serve up heroes and villians, there had to be the terrible mothers, the anti-Madonnas, the hideous counterexamples good mothers were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/because-the-media-always-serve-up-heroes-and-villians-there-had-to-be/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [..."Fun?" you ask. "Weren't feminists these grim-faced, humorless, antifamily, karate-chopping ninjas who were bitter because they couldn't get a man?" Well, in fact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/fun-you-ask-weren-t-feminists-these-grim-faced-humorless-antifamily/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“The frenzied hypernatalism of the women's magazines alone (and that includes People, Us, and InStyle), with their endless parade of perfect, "sexy" celebrity moms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/the-frenzied-hypernatalism-of-the-women-s-magazines-alone-and-that/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [Here's the progression. Feminism won; you can have it all; of course you want children; mothers are better at raising children than fathers; of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/here-s-the-progression-feminism-won-you-can-have-it-all-of-course-you/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [If you're like us -mothers with an attitude problem- you may be getting increasingly irritable about this chasm between the ridiculous, honey-hued ideals of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/if-you-re-like-us-mothers-with-an-attitude-problem-you-may-be-getting/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“It's 5:22pm you're in the grocery checkout line. Your three-year-old is writhing on the floor, screaming, because you have refused to buy her a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/it-s-5-22pm-you-re-in-the-grocery-checkout-line-your-three-year-old/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [We need to make fun of and ridicule the media images that seek to keep us down, divide us against each other by age,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/we-need-to-make-fun-of-and-ridicule-the-media-images-that-seek-to/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“To review briefly, in the late 1960s, men got paid more than women (usually double) for doing the exact same job. Women could get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/to-review-briefly-in-the-late-1960s-men-got-paid-more-than-women/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“...There were the studies, beginning in 2007, which found that the suicide rate among women who had received breast implants were twice the suicide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/there-were-the-studies-beginning-in-2007-which-found-that-the-suicide/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“Most people don’t get (or want) to look at old news footage, but we looked at thirty years of stories relating to motherhood. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/most-people-don-t-get-or-want-to-look-at-old-news-footage-but-we/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“At the same time that middle- and upper-middle-class mothers were urged to pipe Mozart into their wombs when they're pregnant so their kids would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/at-the-same-time-that-middle-and-upper-middle-class-mothers-were/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [...One of the reasons so many women say "I'm not a feminist but..." (and then put forward a feminist position), is that in addition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/one-of-the-reasons-so-many-women-say-i-m-not-a-feminist-but-and-then/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) > [“Intensive mothering is the ultimate female Olympics: We are all in powerful competition with each other, in constant danger of being trumped by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-douglas/intensive-mothering-is-the-ultimate-female-olympics-we-are-all-in/) [Susan J. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) [Explore all 26 Susan J. Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-douglas/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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Answer: What was Sweden? Nearly half of the children under three in this country were in publicly financed nurseries, and nearly 95% of children three to six were (and are). Answer: What is Denmark? In this country, 95% of children aged three to five are in preschool. Answer: What is France? This country provides care for one quarter of children under three in wholly or partially subsidized nurseries. Answer: What is France? In 1984, this country gave workers twelve weeks of maternity leave with pay. Answer: What is Brazil? (Yes, Brazil!) This country mandated eight weeks of maternity leave WITH PAY. Answer: What is Kenya? (You heard us, Kenya!) This country provided none of these things; instead, to help mothers and small children, its magazines featured profiles of rich celebrity moms who could show women how to do it all. Answer: What was the United States?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan J. 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