The Wrong Question To Ask About Amal Clooney

Amal Clooney speaks English, French, and Arabic. She is a well-respected lawyer working in the field of international human rights, regularly speaking at the United Nations. Yes, she is married to Hollywood silver fox George Clooney. And yes, it was announced on Thursday that she is expecting twins with her husband this June. The public couldn't be more excited for them, of course. We would happily throw them a twin-themed baby shower with Queen Bey and Jay Z. But asking "will Amal Clooney still work?" is simply not okay. No one is asking whether or not George Clooney will continue to work after the twins arrive, are they?

It's important to recognize Amal Clooney as more than just "wife of" George Clooney — the man himself is quick to call attention to his wife's astonishing accomplishments. He has praised her often and publicly for her dedication to women's rights around the world. Since the two were introduced by mutual friends in 2013, and subsequently married in Venice, Italy in September 2014, the normally reticent Clooney has been known to wax poetic about his wife. When asked by Entertainment Tonight in 2015 why he fell in love with his wife, Clooney said simply:

She's an amazing human being. And she's caring. And she also happens to be one of the smartest people I've ever met. And she's got a great sense of humor. There's a number of reasons why.

Now that Amal Clooney is expecting twins, why exactly should she be expected to stall her life's work?

Before any stay-at-home moms feel slighted, it's important to point out that Amal Clooney may certainly choose to stay home with her babies. She is entitled to do so, of course. But the real question for me here is, Why isn't anyone asking if George Clooney plans on working after the babies arrive?

Come to think of it, his job seems to have a little more elasticity than hers. George Clooney has a long and distinguished career as an actor and director. Amal Clooney is a highly-sought after barrister (that's British for lawyer) at Doughtry Street Chambers in the United Kingdom. She has represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Nadia Murad, acts as an adviser to Kofi Annan of Syria, and sits on a special counsel for the UN to advise on counter-terrorism and human rights (to name just a few of her exhaustive career accomplishments). Her husband's career seems to be mellowing slightly: He is making fewer movies these days, focusing instead on his own admirable political activism. Perhaps the time is right for him to take a break from his career to stay home and enjoy fatherhood. (I'm picturing him in t-shirts and flip flops, hanging out with the babies. Sweet, right?)

Work and babies do not have to be mutually exclusive, this we know for sure, and both parents in this instance may choose to remain working parents or to take their kids along with them on business trips (à la Angelina Jolie). So not only would the question of whether Amal Clooney would continue working be a bit pointless, it's also a bit of an antiquated reaction and unnecessary.

For the sake of our world, and humanitarian causes everywhere, let's hope she does keep working — but whatever she decides, it's her business, and hers alone.