This entire week we had women's day celebration at office. Today was the grand finale and women were given these lovely gift as a part of it. A male colleague comes to my place to wish me and eyes the gift. I jokingly say, "All this effort was not needed. They could just have given us a holiday. Would have made us happier!"
You see, women who really are in the need of this break would not join celebration. They would be trying to finish work, short of time like always. After giving a reason or two why that would not be good, the colleague just tells me, "Anyway you have a half day. You can go home and relax! Why do you need leave?"
I always go speechless on hearing these kind of statements despite hearing it a lot of times from different of people. If such comments can be made on a half day working woman like me, what chance do home makers have? Where is the dignity of labour? We always underestimate homemaking. An unpaid job involving never ending chores and no retirement. Moreover, full time homemakers put in so much more than a working women ever can. Let's never demean any job. We are working only because we aspire for something else, not because homemaking is easy. This women's day, along with all the assertive and energetic working ladies, let's admire the calm, caring and nourishing home makers.
While ladies in rural are still trying to break stereotypes, the working mothers are juggling too much and making too many compromises. Equality we scream, while forgetting that we are different and the beauty is in the difference. We are not weaker but built to nourish and nurture life. What we need are opportunities, facilities and support to indulge equally in our dreams despite the differences. While I will do my bit to ensure my daughter pursues career of her choice, I would love her to be brave and take a break when needed. To indulge wholly in motherhood with total confidence that she would bounce back and chase her dreams when time is right. Let's educate our girl child, not because home is not worthy workplace, but because she can follow her heart. Like someone said, empowerment is about making choices and not sacrifices.
I do not wish[women] to have power over men; but over themselves
-Mary Wollstonecraft
Happy Women's Day!
While ladies in rural are still trying to break stereotypes, the working mothers are juggling too much and making too many compromises. Equality we scream, while forgetting that we are different and the beauty is in the difference. We are not weaker but built to nourish and nurture life. What we need are opportunities, facilities and support to indulge equally in our dreams despite the differences. While I will do my bit to ensure my daughter pursues career of her choice, I would love her to be brave and take a break when needed. To indulge wholly in motherhood with total confidence that she would bounce back and chase her dreams when time is right. Let's educate our girl child, not because home is not worthy workplace, but because she can follow her heart. Like someone said, empowerment is about making choices and not sacrifices.
I do not wish[women] to have power over men; but over themselves
-Mary Wollstonecraft
Happy Women's Day!
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