Gelegenheitsmutter

Long time since the last post.

A week ago I read this article in the FAZ society pages on Sunday.  It was an article about Carla Bruni's baby (Giulia as we know now).  The byline was whether Bruni would be "an Italienische Mamma oder emanzipierte französische Gelegenheitsmutter" (i.e. whether an Italian Mamma or an emancipated French Gelegenheitsmutter).

I am not sure whether anyone else found the term "Gelegenheitsmutter" offensive.  There is no good translation of Gelegenheitsmutter in English.  Gelegenheit means opportunity / chance (as in could you call me when you have the chance?).  So a Gelegenheitsmutter is someone who is a mother only "bei Gelegenheit" or when opportune.

Sometimes I am quite taken back as I realise how strong the prejudice against working mothers is in Germany.  Often people are asked: "Why do you have children if you can't take care of them?"  Women of course buy into this mindset, and feel pushed to settle - for not working, for part time jobs, for jobs that are beneath their qualifications. 

FAZ talks about managers' affairs

The lead article in the Economy section of the Sunday paper talks about how affairs at work (or messy personal lives) affect managers' careers:  Wenn Affären der Karriere schaden

This is really the sort of fluff used to fill newspapers on a slow news day (never mind that it was the first thing I read in the Sunday paper :)). 

But the article sheds light on German attitudes to work and play.  The thrust of the article seems to be that managers' personal lives (in particular with "cliched platinum blondes focussed on shopping") are relevant mainly because of internal office politics. 

What is interesting is what is omitted from the article. No difference is made between an affair with a subordinate and with someone out of the office! And, no mention is made of the bad judgment such behavious shows. Does this show the higher tolerance to such behaviour in Germany?