Isn't there a major anatomical part of the disappointing gender discrimation from this post that everyone is neglecting? Men have babies too, they may not carry them to term but they are undeniably a major part. Shouldn't the problem be considered that society forces women to be the ones to take responsibility over the child after it is born? Then companies use this to punish women because they may take a "vacation". How is caring for a child while your husband is allowed to choose what he does a vacation?

Rather an extension to your logical argument (not disagreeing or agreeing): Either men should take paternity leave to let the women work or then they should support the family financially.

More generally: Having children costs something, because it requires work input. Who pays for the children? The men, women, families, their employers, the state (=also people who don't have children)?

Paternity (as opposed to just maternity leave) is for me the solution to many problems. Here in Sweden this already exists (18 months to be shared between parents as chosen, with some extra for the person actually physically giving birth for time spent in hospital during pregnancy). There is even some debate about having to use 9 of the months for each parent.

Possibly a necessary means to end (if you believe in this kind of logic) but hopefully not an end in and of itself.

(Already got enough minus points for pointing out gender issues and advocating free education so may as well dig myself even deeper :) )

And the state passes that right along to the business / people through taxes.

This is exactly what I meant: That the cost should be distributed on all businesses/people and not just on those businesses which hire young women/potential mothers. This does more than pay itself with a higher participation of women in the workforce; it's just a distribution of risk without adverse selection as with mandatory car insurance.

The cost should not be distributed. The cost should go directly to the business that is employing these women. If a business employs anyone they hope to do so by creating more value then the value then is spent on the employee. Even if the cost could be distributed, it has little impact on the fact that when the women goes on leave she is taking some 'business knowledge' that will take time to replace. The ability to even determine the value lost is impossible except under very general assumptions.

Car insurance isn't compulsory in all states (assuming you are from the US, but most require it). In NH you simple have to prove the ability to provide personal responsibility. If the roads were private, then it should be up to the owner of the road whether or not insurance is required.