The Pledge:

In childhood or in old age, through sickness or disability, we rely on one another for care throughout our lives. Many of us have also served or will serve as caregivers for loved ones, and whether we experience that work as a pleasure, a sacrifice, or some combination of the two, we know it is essential.

However, not only are caregivers habitually undervalued in our society, but there is a lingering assumption that caregiving is “women’s work.” This belief obstructs progress toward equity, hurting us all.

While women are often pressured to step away from their careers or goals to care for family members, taking family leave is largely stigmatized for men. It is expected that women will choose to assume the responsibility of caregiving when the need arises, while men frequently face professional and social backlash for the same decision.

Normalizing caregiving among men is key to advancing gender equity and allowing us all to live lives unconstrained by restrictive gender roles.

In adding my name, I pledge that I have taken or will take family leave to care for my loved ones should the time come. I lend my voice to a diverse chorus of men who are proud to act as caregivers, and I call on all men to join me in combatting gender inequity and expanding our collective understanding of what a man and a caregiver should be.