So today is Women's Day and it forced me to ask this question, "Are we any happier than we were more than 60 years ago?"
I keep bringing this up because my constant fatigue keeps it alive in my mind. Just the thought of having to wake up on Monday to start the daily grind all over again makes me want to bang my head on a concrete wall. Yep, I'm already thinking about Monday!
Again, why are we working tirelessly instead of being fabulous stay-at-home moms?
Listen girls, I'm telling you, the women in the 1950s were misguided!
I am proud of and commend those women who started the long journey towards equality. I appreciate wholeheartedly the opportunity to choose to pursue an education, and job/career. Without it, I am sure I wouldn't have been afforded half of the privileges I take advantage of today. However, I can't help but to feel that it's a fight that went in the wrong direction. In my opinion, we went from one extreme to the next.
Instead of fighting to demonstrate our “value” by proving to men that we can do what they do, what we should have spoken up and fought for was respect for who we were and what we did. Being a woman (however you define it). Simple as that.
Did we not value ourselves sufficiently? Did we not value raising children and taking care of the home? We allowed the men of that era to define what our value was. We showed up for the right fight, but in the wrong arena.
We have now created new stereotypes. It seems these days in order to be respected, we have to be a super career women all while balancing both children and home. We even have the super career women turning their noses down at the stay-at-home women.
Fist pump to all the ladies who love their jobs and love building their career. Keep at it!
Fist pump to all the ladies holding it down at home and raising little people that will grow into big people and will become sensible contributors to society.
Both women are equally as important in shaping the world around us.
But I don't sense that we are happier. According to research done by Stella magazine in the UK, a whopping 82% of women say the number one challenge they have today is balancing their working life with that of their home life. 56% have a challenge raising happy children and 52% have a challenge finding time for themselves.
So I ask the question again, How far have we really come? Are you happy? Have we created inequality among women?
How do you feel valued as a woman? Do you feel more respected by having a career? How do you feel women think of you if you are a stay-at-home mom?
Today, on International Women's Day, I ask you to reflect on your own happiness and your value as a woman. Define it for yourself and for no one else.
Happy International Women's Day Ladies
Signed,
#Inspiring Change, Candilaria
2 comments:
I absolutely loved this post, and I am very encouraged as a stay at home/work from home mom. You're right -- we have to remember that our value is not just in what we do but who we are!
Thank you Yolanda! I'm happy to hear you are encouraged! I know that you put your all into your daughter (and of course family) and can still pursue your passion. I felt so compelled to write about this topic after reading post after post about women advancing and excelling in all sorts of arenas, the corporate world, education, business, and socially...and while that's awesome, I can't help but to feel a tremendous amount of sadness that in not one of those posts did it discuss us raising our children and the amount of work we put into them. The most important job we have, in my opinion!
Keep up the great work!!!
Candilaria
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