8th of March – 16 years ago – my father thought it was hilarious that I had given birth to a baby boy on the International Women’s Day – “Only You!” he said.
So I wonder if I have done my bit – growing up a young man who I believe is on track to accepting people as humans instead of a race divided by gender. A young man who appreciates people for their values, traits and abilities irrespective of their gender!
Women’s rights is the current hot topic – about time – but we do have to be careful that we don’t lose our rational thinking!
The good women of the previous century fought for the right of a woman to gain entry into the world so far reserved for men only – the right to vote; the right to work; the right to education. We could now prove to the world that we were no less than a man. In fact, we took on the persona of a man … in addition to our traditional role of a woman. Superhumans! … Or so we thought.
In reality we became walking pressure cookers:
The pressure to look good and well groomed!
The pressure to get a high powered job which was better than a similarly capable man!
The pressure to have a well organised and clean home!
The pressure to have children and be a perfect mother
The pressure … The pressure … The pressure!
Somehow we forgot that equality is about choices.
Equality is
My right to choose = a man’s right to choose.
If I step out and get a high powered job, will my partner step up and fill the gap left in the “mother and “home-maker” space? Will the society make him feel less of a man?
If I choose to be a home-maker and mother, will he stand up for me when people look down at me for “wasting” my talent and brains?
At work if I choose to keep flexible hours and still deliver quality and timely outcomes will my boss think less of me compared to a male colleague?
Equality is about negotiating a good outcome without having to sacrifice.
So the big question is – are we women ready to step down from our superhuman pedestals and realise that we have a choice – the choice to own our strengths and use them in our unique way without apology.
Adopting the persona of a man will not make us equal – owning our space as women will … and the world will follow.