Yup, although I’ll add that a surprising number of them are older folks who had kids, and now feel like they’re entitled to a child-free existence because they’re over it. They also nag on about how children today are so much less disciplined than in their time because they’ve conveniently forgotten a) what it was…

The erasure of mothers, and in particular poorer mothers, is such an issue. It’s one of the ways the feminist movement makes it abundantly clear that the needs of upper-class white women are paramount, while everyone else needs to take a backseat.

When your country decides to actually provide decent paid maternity leave, then perhaps we’ll talk. Till then....nope. You don’t get to whine about this.

Strange! My doctor told me that when I turned 25 I needed one sexually active or not. Maybe she just thought I was lying.

Or, in this case the new boss is saying exactly what all of the previous “old bosses” have said on the same topic.

Right, it’s basically acknowledging that humans are nosey and prone to gossip and advising spiritual leaders whose reputations matter to protect themselves against both temptation and accusations of wrong-doing by not allowing themselves to be in a sitatuion that someone could reasonably be suspicious of. This could…

“Avoid the appearance of impropriety.” As in, even so much as the appearance.

Are religious communities are more prone to this kind of purely speculative but damaging gossip than other groups/communities? Because it seems like based on what I know of Christian values, that kind of thing should be behavior that people would avoid...

Translation: She did it first while I was out working hard to spread the message of Christ, mine was practically just by accident. Now that we’re all clear about who’s really to blame, please respect my privacy.

Oh no, I don’t think you’re reading it wrong. “I had an affair because she had one first and this is all her fault” is exactly how this statement reads.

I definitely see the negative effects it has on advancement, but I also know all to well how tongues wag with people in the public eye. Have to figure out how to walk that tightrope somehow.