Boston mayor Michelle Wu brings 2-week-old newborn to work—and sparks a debate
Two weeks postpartum, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu returned to City Hall—with her newborn daughter in tow. Over the last few days, she’s shown up to council meetings, press conferences, and official duties, baby in hand, because Boston doesn’t stop just because the mayor had a baby. (Though we’d argue that even mayors deserve maternity leave.)
Her return has reignited a familiar conversation about the impossible expectations placed on women in leadership. In a viral comment on the Instagram post, coach Rebecca Arnold summed it up perfectly: “She can’t win. If she took leave, people would chastise her for ‘leaving’ her post. If she continues working, people chastise her for not prioritizing her baby. This is the double-bind women leaders experience all.the.time.”
Related: The impossible expectations placed on mothers
And she’s right. We’ve seen this play out before: When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave birth while in office, people debated whether a sitting world leader could handle both roles. When Senator Tammy Duckworth became the first U.S. senator to give birth while serving, she had to fight for the right to bring her baby onto the Senate floor. Even in everyday workplaces, mothers are often expected to act like they don’t have kids—until they’re judged for not being home enough.
Meanwhile, paid family leave policies in the U.S. are still abysmal. The federal government offers zero weeks of paid leave. Massachusetts, where Wu governs, is one of only 11 states (plus D.C.) with a paid family leave program. But even in states with protections, cultural expectations often push women—especially high-profile ones—back to work before they’re ready.
Wu’s presence at City Hall with her baby shouldn’t be a radical act. And yet, here we are.
If we truly want a world where women can lead and mother without impossible trade-offs, we need more than admiration for Wu’s resilience—we need structural change. Paid leave. Supportive workplace policies. A culture that stops expecting women to be everything at once, while demanding nothing of men in power.
Boston keeps moving, and so does its mayor. But maybe the real question is: Should she have to?
Related: Should I stay home or go back to work post-maternity leave?
