Have you ever gone to a supermarket or mall, and driven around the lot several times looking for a parking space? Each time you pass the front of the building you see all of those handicapped parking spaces that are not being used and you may think to yourself, “I need a special parking space!”
Recently, this has become a hot topic among pregnant women. In several states including: Texas, Mississippi, Vermont, and Georgia, the legislature has attempted to pass a bill that would amend the standards, already set forth for disabled parking permits, by including pregnant women. The legislation would allow pregnant women to apply for and receive a temporary disabled parking placard that would enable them to park, in any handicapped parking space available, for up to two months after their child is born.
This brings forth the question of whether or not pregnancy is a disability.
Proponents for this type of bill argue that pregnant women “should be extended the courtesy of handicapped parking privileges,” (http://stork.glokraemer.com). Their reasons vary, but basically it comes down to convenience. Pregnant woman don’t want to walk the extra hundred feet because they are tired. If they have other children while pregnant it is easier for them to only walk thirty-five feet to the store while holding a toddler’s hand and carrying the extra weight of pregnancy.
What they fail to realize is that once they get into the store they are going to walk around shopping while holding their toddler’s hand and carrying the extra weight of pregnancy for a lot farther distance than the hundred feet they would have walked from a regular parking space.
Furthermore, doctors suggest that expectant women continue to exercise throughout their pregnancy. They even suggest thirty minutes of moderate activity which can be a brisk walk. According to the American College of Obstetricians and