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Original poster

Rachida Dati and her ill daughter

96 replies

Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:00

I can't find a link anywhere but they're discussing it on the radio at the moment.

Rachida Dati - female French foreign minister who came under a lot of fire for going back to work 5 days after having a C-section to her first and only daughter and who continues to keep schtum about who the dad is, so effectively she is a single mum.

Well, her daughter is now 4 months old and was taken ill at the weekend and rushed to hospital whilst her in the care of Rachida's sister whilst RD was at a wedding. The baby remains in hospital and RD has gone on a trip to the Middle East (work related, not a holiday).

What do we all think of this?

OP posts:

JeffVadar · 06/05/2009 13:40

I am in total agreement with FlappytheBat over this one!

RD came from very humble beginnings and I am sure has worked very hard to get where she is; however, to be very successful often requires a very tough and ruthless streak.

I have to also to say that the fact she is very beautiful hasn't exactly hindered her. Apparently she once advised a college girlfriend that she had obviously not been screwing the right people, because she had failed to reach the same dizzying heights that RD had!

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 13:42

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morningpaper · 06/05/2009 13:45

She can't compromise or she will lose her job.

The eyes of the world are looking at her and waiting for her to put her job second so they can gloat that a woman cannot 'have it all'

How many times have Cameron / Brown missed days of work because their child was seriously ill or hospitalised? A fair few I'd imagine.

This is double-standards because she is a woman. It's very unpleasant.

CatsBumFace · 06/05/2009 13:50

obviously she should have given up her career, donned her birkenstocks and cultivated frizzy hair. how fucking dare she be successful, attractive and unmotherly!

we don't even know the facts. the baby is being looked after.

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 13:51

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Pepa · 06/05/2009 13:52

But surely a problem here is that as women we perpetuate the stereotype that we have to do more than the men to "prove ourselves worthy" As mp said other leaders have taken time off (or at least not left the country)when their children have been ill. I think it shows a lack of confidence on her part that she isn't able to say "I can't go today.....but I am still as worthy as the other members of the team." And by doing that she erally would be standing up for equality and womens rights....

CatsBumFace · 06/05/2009 13:54

maybe she doesn't give a shite about standing up for womans rights and just really wants to do her job.

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 13:56

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aGalChangedHerName · 06/05/2009 13:57

She wasn't working tho was she? She was at a wedding.

I don't believe for a minute that she would ne sacked for taking time off to be with her sick baby either.

morningpaper · 06/05/2009 13:57

Yes it must be kind of exhausting having to think "Oh god, I've got to be seen as having it all / standing up for women's rights / standing up for mothers / I'm followed by paps everywhere because I'm a working mother / everything I say is reported in the press" - as WELL as doing her job. Male ministers don't get that crap

morningpaper · 06/05/2009 14:01

Why do they Telegraph say she is the former minister and was sacked? That's not right, is it??????

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 14:02

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morningpaper · 06/05/2009 14:02

Where is this current story anyway? I can't find it anywhere.

morningpaper · 06/05/2009 14:03

in fact if you do a search for ""Rachida Dati" Wedding hospital" you just get this thread

Kewcumber · 06/05/2009 14:05

doesn;t it depend how ill her child is?

Very ill child with uncertain prognosis - yes I think it would be more "usual" for eother paretn to cancel trips away so as to be in the country and visiting child.

Child already diagnosed and being treated, possibly more understanding if business as usual.

CatsBumFace · 06/05/2009 14:06

exactly, i could start a thread about how anthea turner eats babies for breakfast and we could all start a hate fest for no good reason.

spicemonster · 06/05/2009 14:13

I am also a single mother with quite a demanding job. When my 9 month old child was seriously ill and hospitalised, I did take time off work to look after him. I also spent hours on my mobile, marked up paperowork and went to Starbucks whenever I could to get online. I was in the middle of a massive £2m project and my walking out in the middle of it (no matter what the reason) would have seriously compromised my career. Even despite my best efforts, my absence at a critical point was viewed very dimly by some. In the end, people don't remember that your child was ill, they remember that you weren't there at a crucial point. I am not saying this is right, but it is a fact.

I would suggest that until you are a single parent in a similar sort of position, you don't really have any concept of the sort of pressure she is under.

As people are so fond of saying on MN, walk a mile in my shoes and all that ...

Hulababy · 06/05/2009 14:14

Can't find story online either. Wanted to read more so I'd feel more able to comment.

On the face of it, from this thread alone, I agree that it seems very strange and certainly not how I, nor any of the mums I know, would act if their child was ill in hospital.

I think the fact that she went to a wedding without her child is irrelevant though. Many parents do go to weddings, leaving baby at home - there are many many threads on that topic on MN alone.

InternationalFlight · 06/05/2009 14:15

What are you lot on? Hasn't anybody thought to mention PND in all this?

InternationalFlight · 06/05/2009 14:17

Sorry for sounding dismissive, I was shocked that the only lines available thus far were 'she has chosen to put her career first' or 'she is a bitch without motherly instincts'.

I wondered if i might suggest a third...

RoseOfTheOrient · 06/05/2009 14:19

IF, it has been mentioned

pollypentapeptide Wed 06-May-09 11:36:16
Maybe she has pnd, that can affect bonding with baby. Looks can be deceptive.

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 14:19

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InternationalFlight · 06/05/2009 14:22

Ah thankyou Rose, and sorry for not seeing that post.

I hope I've helped make the point stronger, Polly

TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 14:33

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Original poster

Pennies · 06/05/2009 15:05

CBF - I'm not saying she shouldn't work, or lose her identity as a person in terms of her image, but I DO think she could at least have the courage to take the time to look after her daughter if she is ill enough to be hospitalised for 4 days and counting when she is so very young.

If I was a dignitary abroad and RD turned up to fulfill her international engagement in these circumstances I would certainly be rather at the sort of person she is.

I also think this does feminism a great disservice in that are we all expected to go to work now when our kids are very ill just because RD has done? Is this the kind of example to women she should set?

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