Should I object to this?

[NitramAtTheKrap]

My company is issuing a press release about me about a promotion. I have not drafted this but I have seen it and it has already been 'approved' by the boss. It reads:

Nitram...promotion...expert...blah...blah.
The 35 year old mother of 2 is an expert...blah...blah...

Now, I am massively happy to have this promotion, particularly as I am quite young to have achieved this, so I can see the relevance of my age.

However, I feel uncomfortable about the 'mother of 2' bit. Have I done this in spite of my children? Yes I guess so. Is my professional life defined by them and do they have any relevance to it? No. Would they have written 'the 35 year old father of 2'? No.

I have answered by own question haven't I? I am going to have to ask them to remove it.

If you go on to any forces base you will find a bio on various commanders. They will tell you all about who ever hobbies etc and it will say father/mother of x children. I don't think your employers are suggesting anything. You are in the best place to know though.

Have you looked back at other recent announcements? That should give you evidence of what your company typically releases in terms of level of family background of its appointees.

Nitram, if you're sure that your company wouldn't write similar about a man, then I would maybe question it.

Congratulations, by the way!

I think it depends how they generally right about people. On the face of it, it does sound mighty odd. Yes, in my profession I would complain like a shot (not that in my profession they want to advertise that you even need sleep, let alone have a personal life!) But there are companies who would routinely write "John is a 35 year old father of two and an obsessive Man United fan" because they like to be 'chatty' (bluergh).

Does the 'mother of 2' add anything to the PR ?

I would refrain from mentioning anything personal about any of my staff in a press release - no age, no family, no hobbies. It's about professional experience and achievements so anything else is irrelevant.

It doesn't add anything. It's a 'professional' job and a professional press release.

I will ask for a rewrite tomorrow.

Thanks all.

Write, not right, obviously. Blooming autocorrect, wonder what the typo it tried to fix was...

Good luck tomorrow.

I'd complain if it were my company, because their bios for such things focus on education and career path, so going on about marriage and children would stand out. (I also notice these things particularly, because I am single and childless, and you never see one where they mention that.)

Agree, ask to remove - and well done!