# Breaking the Kiss of Death: Allyson Felix's Journey to Empowering Women Athletes and Mothers >[!example] 27 March 2023 #blog %%[[(Allyson Felix, 2022)]] %% Allyson Felix is an Olympic champion. And a mother. Both of which she talks about during [her TED Talk](https://youtu.be/iIne-UO7wUo). About the fear that women face when considering having children. The fear of doing so whilst pursuing their careers. Particularly in sports. %%[[getting pregnant can be a kiss of death in women's careers]] %% %%[[women face tough choices when balancing careers with personal responsibilities]] %% This got me thinking. Getting pregnant can be a "kiss of death" in *any* woman's career. And women face tough choices when balancing careers with personal responsibilities. %%[[we have got to stop forcing people to choose between parenting and doing the work that they love]] %% >[!example] § > >"We have got to stop forcing people to choose between parenting and doing the work that they love. And we've got to stop pretending that we're not making those decisions because the results affect us all. Not just women, but men and our children, too." (Allyson Felix, 2022) %%[[creating a new normal after the pandemic]] %% But as women, we shouldn't have to choose between parenting and doing the work we love. And as Felix points out, *this* is the time for us to create a new normal. > "And as we all recover from the pandemic that has flattened us, let's just not rebuild the same version of the broken system that we had before. But let's learn and create something new." %%[[having it all does not mean doing it all]]%% One more essential point she makes, which is well worth remembering: 'having it all' does not mean 'doing it all'.