Somehow, we’re back here on the question of “can women really have it all?” as the media have gone into a spin about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly announcing she’s freezing her eggs, and Karoline Leavitt stepping down as Trump’s press secretary, just weeks after returning from parental leave.
Two women from very different sides of the political spectrum, accidentally collaborating on highlighting the challenges women still face in building a career while also building a family.
Leavitt recently returned from maternity leave following the birth of her second child in May, and says she will leave the White House at the end of the month to be with her family.
At 28, Leavitt was the youngest person ever to become press secretary, and she’s been a loyal and effective servant for Trump, delivering his messages from behind the lectern to the press pack, including some especially absurd claims, like suggesting the Biden administration had planned to spend US$50 million to send condoms to Gaza.
Trump said Leavitt’s decision to step down is one “I totally understand and respect” and that she would continue as one of his “top outside advisors”.
It was only weeks ago during her first press conference after returning from parental leave that Leavitt was asked for her advice for other women wanting to “have it all”, and Leavitt shared her gratitude for her husband being home with her two babies and her firm belief in everything the president and his administration is doing for the future of her kids.
Becoming a mother of two can be a very different challenge to being a mother of one. Having taken nine weeks’ parental leave and wanting to return to work, there may have been several factors at play. Some sources have speculated that she wanted to leave for some time, but wanted to demonstrate her commitment to returning from leave.
Now, to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez going public with her decision to freeze her eggs at the age of 36. She said “don’t be weird about this” as she raised her shirt to position a syringe into her stomach during a live video broadcast to reveal she’d started the egg-freezing process during the August recess of Congress.
In her video, AOC said she wanted to destigmatise how women navigate the conflicting demands of building a family alongside their careers and noted that she was paying “100% out of pocket” because the procedure was not covered by her insurance. The cost of freezing your eggs in the United States is between $10,000 and $20,000, and egg freezing is rarely covered by insurance plans. “This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” she said.
AOC’s move comes as reproductive rights have been stripped back by Republican lawmakers across the United States, and as high-profile conservative women are proclaiming the virtues of having a family over career.
But AOC’s video went a step further, suggesting defiance in the face of the Trump administration as well as state-based lawmakers across the United States pushing to further erode women’s choices and ability to take control of their reproductive health. AOC demonstrated she’s making decisions on her own terms.
Importantly, she also made a point to her audience, especially to young women, about the fact that egg freezing is an option – for those who can afford it. And she has since continued sharing messages about the issue, highlighting the process, pushing back against the backlash she’s already received, and noting that egg freezing is no guarantee of having a baby later on.
Perhaps for AOC, the egg-freezing announcement is also an opportunity to signal her future ambitions. Possibly, a run for president. AOC is now the frontrunner to become the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028, according to Polymarket, with 21 per cent of traders backing the progressive, ahead of California Governor Gavin Newsom at 17 per cent.