Can Hollywood do for paid leave what Congress hasn’t?

Vicki Shabo, an advocate for federal paid parental leave, recognized that policy efforts had stalled because cultural attitudes treated caregiving as expendable. Drawing parallels to how television popularized designated drivers and influenced views on marriage equality, she initiated an effort to leverage Hollywood storytelling to shift public perception of caregiving and family leave. This initiative, "Caregiving on Screen," provides resources to writers and producers to incorporate realistic work, family, and caregiving themes into their content. Research indicates a strong audience demand for such authentic stories, with a majority finding them important and a significant portion more likely to subscribe to services that feature them. However, Hollywood faces challenges in this area. Studios are often risk-averse, particularly in the current political climate, and may favor more traditional entertainment over content addressing social issues like gender and caregiving. There's also a trend of contraction in the industry, with fewer opportunities for diverse stories and creators, making it harder for authentic narratives to emerge. Despite these obstacles, some television shows and films are beginning to incorporate caregiving storylines. These include HBO's "The Pitt" and ABC's "High Potential," which de... download the app to read more