The other day I was chatting to mum who lives in Chicago and she mentioned how she thought of me when she saw parking spots set aside for pregnant women in a local shopping centre. She said she was kicking herself not having a camera to take a photo for me.On one hand, shops like Babies R' Us are acknowledging that sometimes pregnant women just want to park close to a shop without hassling around. At the same time, however, the idea that pregnant women 'need' these special parking spaces also reinforces the notion that pregnant women are 'disabled' and physically weak. In March, in California, legislators proposed that pregnant women be allowed to park in 'disabled' spots but the proposal never left the ground. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has said the bill's sponsor had good intentions, but that it isn't appropriate, especially considering pregnant women need to be encouraged to physically active.
What do you think? Should pregnant women be entitled to special parking spots?
1 comment:
In Ontario, Canada there are spots reserved for pregnant women parking everywhere, grocery store, mall, etc. Usually there will be 2 accessible parking spots (disabled parking) and an expectant mother parking spot next to it (a bright pink square with a yellow/orange silhouette of a pregnant woman). I don’t even notice these reserved spots, although they have arrived within the last 2-4 years. Not sure what I think about this, the message could go either way.
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