Maren Morris: Don’t make women choose between motherhood and a career

Maren Morris has encouraged employers not to make women "choose" between being a mother and having a career.
The ‘My Church’ hitmaker – who announced her own pregnancy in October – took to Instagram over the weekend to reveal her bassist Annie Clements is expecting a baby, and used the post to spread an important message about working mothers.
Maren insisted she won’t be making Annie choose between touring and being a mother, as she gushed over the idea of them both raising their little ones on the road.
Alongside a professional snap of herself and her bassist, Maren wrote: "So unbelievably happy for you @annieclements ! I love that we’ll get to experience this new-mom-on-the-road life together. I know there are so many women who feel like they have to choose between being a touring musician + starting a family. I never wanted my people to choose. I think it’s a great conversation to have if you’re an artist who employs women. So let’s shred for 90 minutes and then go rock these babes to sleep on the bus with a glass of wine. (sic)"
Maren, 29, is expecting a baby boy with her husband Ryan Hurd, who recently said he and his wife couldn’t be happier to be starting a family.
He said: "We had a few months where it was just ours, and then our friends and our families and our teams. Then it’s been nice to be public and be able to share the news. It seems to be the questions that people want to know about, but it’s fine, because we really are thrilled about it."
And although she’s excited to have her first child, Maren was convinced she’d be having a daughter, because she’s "surrounded by women" in her daily life.
She said: "I grew up with one sister, my mom owns a hair salon, so I was just always surrounded by women. I have an affinity for them. There’s women in my band, in my crew.
"I’ve never really had a male sibling or anything like that, so I had just felt like I’m gonna have a girl ’cause I’m constantly surrounded by women. And I put a record out this year called ‘GIRL’. And nope – the test said it was a boy!
"Honestly, I was so happy with either. But I’ve heard from a lot of boy moms since we released our news and they’re just like, ‘They love their mothers forever!’ "