Where Would You Rather See Her?
The economy…do I really need to explain? Are we not all aware of how many people have lost their homes, how many people have lost their jobs, the rise and fall of gas prices, and the uncertainty of social security? I would say that most of us are very aware. So with that being said, I wonder…Do husbands who support a wife and children find themselves sometimes feeling like, “boy, it really would help us out financially if she could go to work.” Or does a Homemaker sometimes feel like, “I am really going to have to cut back on a nice dinner every single night, we can’t afford groceries every two weeks and we most certainly can’t afford to go out for dinner every night or even every other night; So ham and cheese sandwiches it is.” America, do we need more women at work? Where would you rather see her?
The election and other social issues…again, there’s no need for an explanation. We can’t deny that we have all seen a plethora of U.S. Citizens more interested and more involved in things like, “saving the earth – go green”, “bringing our soldiers home– support the U.S. troops”, “social security – where has all the money gone?”, and “making the U.S. a better country – vote”. With all these people excited about what they believe in, and frustrated with how they have been affected by poor political decisions, you would think that we would see more women trying to be “in charge” of things. Or…should it be that as women we remain “fussy – reactive” instead of “ready to take action – proactive?”
“Stop the rising price of food, bring my son home from overseas, put my money back in the bank, etc…etc….” Whether it true frustration, or a desire to be a part of a special group so you just join the closest screaming crowd around you, such a stampede of emotion should spark some kind of action. What does it tell you when the loudest person in the crowd is the most excessive spending, non-saving, war supporting… uninterested in working hard person in the crowd? Is that okay?…for them to have a voice? Where is their contribution to change? Are there too many people just screaming about something for nothing? Is their contribution irrelevant?…Just a thought. Where would you rather see her? Being proactive or reactive?
Education…do we have enough? There are colleges right now who have so many students enrolled that they don’t even have enough room to house them all. Does that mean that we don’t have an education crisis? Plenty of people are going to college. Well, does attending college necessarily mean that you have a “guaranteed or your money back” stamp on your future? It is so unfortunate that I have to say no, going to college does not mean that you are guaranteed work or a decent income. So many students graduate with the thought that, “I have finished college, and I will now be able to go further in life than those who have not done so”. I cannot tell you how many young people are disappointed after they find out that everything they were told about not being able to get a job unless they have a college degree more truly refers to not being able to get a job unless you have a GRADUATE (Masters or higher) degree. Now, many places of business see a bachelor’s degree as just a cute little addition to your resume’. Unless you have the experience (which is hard to get without someone saying “you’re hired”), or a Master’s degree you can hang that cute little bachelor’s up on the wall and then get back on the phone and finish explaining why you need to put your student loans into forbearance. So when I hear young women say, “Oh I don’t want children, I just can’t see myself being taken away from my career” or “Well, I don’t have children because by the time I finished getting my Graduate degree I felt too old, and I was just getting on the fast track in my career at that time. It just wasn’t time for me to start with being a mother. Now, I am even older”. There are many people who take issue with women who put their education and their career before having a family. Many people say it makes a woman more ambiguous than she should be, or not as meek as she should be. Well, with the economy in need of more jobs, the election showing us that we have to be sure to question the qualifications of our future leaders, and with higher education seeming to be the main ingredient for jobs, qualified politicians and less ignorant input on social issues…America, wouldn’t getting a higher education and starting a career before starting a family be essential? Shouldn’t she be in class? Where would you rather see her?
Maybe the question isn’t where would you rather see her, maybe the question is where would you rather see him….Ooh, that makes for a good controversial article, especially with all the frustrated single and stay-at-home dads out there, who feel like their existence is unknown. Is the stay-at-home dad made to feel like he should be at work the way the super-career woman is sometimes made to feel like she should be at home? I am not sure, but I sure would love to read about it.
The point is we need women everywhere they can be, so why discourage a woman from being where she wants to be with stereotypes of how a working woman doesn’t care as much about her children, or how the highly educated, super-career woman is masculine and cold. Stop worrying that because she came to you and said “I want to go to work” then that means she won’t be as good of a wife or a mom anymore, stop worrying that because she wears business attire and is vociferous about the issues that are important to her, then she won’t know when to laugh at your jokes or she won’t smile when you have roses delivered to her office, stop worrying that her higher education will make her pompous and too much of a challenge. Everywhere that you can be is where you should make room for her, and wherever she wants to be is where you should rather see her.
Where is the woman?…. at www.bpwusa.org
