"All of us should have access to the supports we need"

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readingthecomments.substack.comA couple of weeks ago, the US Surgeon General revealed something surprising: “Parents Are at Their Wits’ End. We Can Do Better.” JK. We already knew that!But it was meaningful, we guess, to have this reality affirmed by a major public health official and as a legitimate public health crisis. This week, however, Amanda & Veronica dig into the comments section underneath the Surgeon General’s op-ed for The New York Times. Obviously we agree that we can and should do better for all parents, of every gender. But some of the commenters on the op-ed were skeptical.In the episode, we discuss how both the essay and the over 1200 comments lurking underneath it reveal the anxieties that come up when we discuss the need for social supports that would make parenting in this country easier.While some commenters did acknowledge the need for a more comprehensive social safety net, a pretty clear generational divide presented itself in the comments section. Some people felt that parents just needed to simplify their lives, be kinder to themselves, or… get over it?We also discuss why it matters when warnings like these fail to acknowledge things like feminism and gender inequality, why therapy won’t put food on the table, what the culture of self-help says about our failure of political imagination, and what tensions arise in the workplace between people who are childfree and parents.*To listen to this week’s full episode, upgrade your subscription at the show page for just $15 for the whole season (or $5/month). You’ll get access to all six full episodes, plus every bonus episode we create, threads, a subscriber chat, and the ability to suggest topics for future shows.If you are already a paid subscriber to Mad Woman, you can become a paid subscriber to Reading the Comments 👀 at a discount. Info here.And here’s info on how to get the episodes on your favorite podcast app, once you’ve subscribed.*Show notes:-The US Dept of Health & Human Services parental mental health and well-being advisory page