Why a pregnant CEO is great news for women

With the news that Marissa Mayer is to become the CEO of Yahoo whilst six months pregnant with her first baby, Marie Claire's mum-to-be Emma Simkins celebrates women breaking down barriers

With the news that Marissa Mayer is to become the CEO of Yahoo whilst six months pregnant with her first baby, Marie Claire's mum-to-be Emma Simkins celebrates women breaking down barriers.

I consider myself a career woman and value my professional reputation dearly. But recently I’ve been wondering what comes next. At seven-and-a-half months pregnant I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about what happens to my job prospects once I’m a mum.

WOMEN AND WORK SURVEY

It used to be that your career went on hold – temporarily, indefinitely, permanently even – once that baby bump started to protrude. That’s if you were lucky enough for anyone to risk employing a 30-something woman and her deafening biological clock in the first place. So to hear that the six months pregnant Google exec Marissa Mayer, 37, has been appointed Yahoo CEO feels like a massive score for women everywhere.

Finally, womanhood, and more specifically pregnancy, is no longer a barrier to getting a job – and not just any old job: a high-level, kick-ass, career defining one. It gladdens my heart that women are increasingly being employed for their talent and not passed over because of their gender.

TAKE PART IN MARIE CLAIRE'S WOMEN AND WORK SURVEY

Of course, the one disappointment is that Mayer says her maternity leave will be just a few weeks long and she’ll be working through it. Maybe that’s her choice and maybe it’s not, but at least there’s a small glimmer of hope there for career-orientated mums everywhere. That’s something I’ll be focusing on during all those lonely night feeds.

Do you agree? What do you make of Marissa Mayer's appointment? Let us know in the box below or Tweet us @MarieClaireUK

MORE MARIE CLAIRE DEBATES