I'm so sick.

Of kits being deemed a weakness or burden to she-cats who show the slightest potential to be leader or deputy or even are leaders or deputies. Or even the saying "kits will ruin blank!"

The unsaid rule of she-cats having to birth all the kits they want before even gaining a rank is ridiculous. Yes, it does prevent them from doing normal warrior duties at a time. However, a deputy can still do their duties by sending out patrols. A leader doesn't do that much anyways. I don't ever recall seeing Bluestar hunting unless she was training Firestar. Even Firestar was in his den at a time. 

It's sexist to prevent them from gaining a position simply because they're taking on the harsh task of raising children. 

"They'll distract them from their duties!"

So instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt and allowing them to do their own thing, you're just going to say this? Won't fathers, especially with the development of how close they are now, also distract them? Didn't Willowpelt go out to hunt from time to time when she was raising her kits? Who's to say the leader or deputy won't go on a patrol?

May I also point out that a lot of the times, it's the toms or the Clan that makes a queen go into the nursery early? Squirrelflight was told many times to rest and eat. And didn't Berrynose push Poppyfrost into the nursery despite her just finding out? Isn't is also said that a queen will continue her duties until she can not anymore?

Besides, there's more to being a warrior over hunting and patrolling. A pregnant leader or deputy can assist with other tasks. Instead everyone wants them to just chill and relax. And after a certain point, a queen does go back to her duties. Moonflower and Rainflower are an example. 

Everyone acts like the leader and deputy who may be pregnant will just be a burden on their Clan and has no right to lead. I find this extremely untrue because some of the best female warriors are queens. Goldenflower, Willowpelt, Frostfur, Speckletail. They are all fine warriors and I can see one or two of them being a hell of a deputy or even leader.

As for battles, sure leaders and deputies can go into battle. However, I don't think that has to do a thing with fighting spirit. ThunderClan was begging their leader to allow them to fight WindClan. There was no low morale there, they wanted to get them back for taking prey. Sunningrocks is constantly fought over and just because a leader or deputy isn't in the patrol doesn't mean they're going to lose. The only reason a leader or deputy leads a patrol is because they're expected to know how to lead. Yet we don't see the deputies or leaders leading every patrol. 

I honestly don't get why this is such a big issue. If it's such an ordeal, then forbid every high rank from having kits. Make it fair. Everyone shames a she-cat when she makes a poor decision based on her kits, but people turn a blind eye when a male leader does the same for his kits. _{-coughs-oakstar-coughs-}