IT'S a hot topic, that of women "having it all".

Recent news that the new CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, is also pregnant, seemed to stir emotions for all the wrong reasons, like she had just announced she once kicked a kitten through an electric fan.

Never mind the fact that at 37, Mayer's landed a top job in a male-dominated industry. Or that she is likely to be the first pregnant CEO of a Fortune 500 company. No, what drew the most attention – and vitriolic internet bashing – was Mayer's statement that she intends to only take a few weeks' leave. The same thing millions of male bosses do every year, with little or no comment.

Depressing? You bet. I can't believe we're still having this debate. How long a woman takes for maternity leave is the decision of the woman: there is no right or wrong, and whatever a woman's choice, it's no reflection of her love for that child or her ability to parent. After all, many women in the US – where there is no government-paid maternity leave – don't have a choice.

It's a given that women in leadership roles are more likely to be criticised – they've broken through the glass ceiling but all eyes are on them to fail – but Mayer's appointment is actually the most encouraging development women in corporate business have seen in years.

It's not simply the fact that she was hired at such a young age that's positive – at a time when female CEOs remain rare (there are only 20 in the Fortune 500, a paltry 4%) – it's that she was hired while pregnant.

What a hopeful message: not only will top companies employ women while they're expecting, they will allow those women to be their big boss, too. It's disappointing Yahoo's appointment has garnered attention for the wrong reason, but the company won't be bothered; they've just landed one of business's smartest cookies.

Mayer was previously a senior figure at Google, where she spent eight successful years. That's the bit Yahoo will be focusing on. After all, pregnancy is not an illness.

I'm inspired by Mayer. Rather than let her pregnancy put her off such a high-profile role, she has used it to push herself. Like death, there are few things more empowering than creating a life to put things in perspective or, indeed, show what's possible. Intentionally or not, she's now become the poster child for working mothers.

For women like Mayer, this is deemed "having it all". Critics will argue she shouldn't become a mother if she doesn't have the time to devote to parenting. But no one would ever say such a thing about a male boss. She's also lucky enough to be able to afford the best in childcare and will likely have opportunities for flexibility. Why not take advantage of that? It doesn't mean she will love her child any less than a mother who chooses to stay at home.

None of this is to say we should hold Mayer up as some kind of feminist role model, for she is simply doing what men have always done. No-one passes judgment on how long male CEOs take for paternity leave. They're not chastised as bad fathers for taking off a short time, or continuing to work. Interestingly, nowhere did I see any mention of the responsibilities of Mayer's husband, who will presumably share this child's care. But what annoys me most is that much of the criticism over Mayer's decision comes from other women. As I write, I am two days away from starting maternity leave to have my first child, and how long I am taking off is still undecided. Right now, the thought of not working – ceasing that wonderful, brain-stimulating routine that I love – fills me with horror as I head into a new, albeit exciting, unknown. Hormones and love will kick in after birth and I'm sure I'll soon be happily swimming in a sea of nappies, baby sick and breast milk. But if I choose to go back to work sooner than planned, then like Mayer, that's my choice and mine alone.