While running a few errands today, I heard on the radio that March is National Women's History Month. The month also celebrates, Irish American History, Music in Our Schools, National Nutrition Month, National Peanut Month, and a whole host of other topics.
This time around, I'd like to focus on National Women's History Month, especially since I recently had a discussion with some folks on the roles of men and women today versus 50 years ago. The discussion was particularly interesting because our group included some international students. I was happy to hear that to some extent role of women as being the sole caretaker of the home (whether she wants that role or not) is changing. Men and women are becoming equal partners in households and in workplaces in regions of the world with very stereotypical viewpoints of women.
In our discussion, some of the students from South America shared with us stories about their mothers doing all of the household chores when they were growing up, yet these days the chores are shared. One woman from South America told us that her brothers learned to do all chores in her family's home, and she proudly told us that they will be very good husbands. At least the housework will be shared.
You might think that things are so different these days. Women are viewed as breadwinners and bosses. Of course, the narrow idea of women as being solely homemakers has mostly changed in the USA. Generally, American women are viewed as capable, smart, producers at home as well as in the business world. Unfortunately, this healthy viewpoint of women as strong, capable and independent people is not embraced.
It really saddens me when I hear putting themselves down and saying that they are not good enough or they cannot do something because they are women. I've met some women who have made comments that feed into negative stereotypes. For example, I've heard women say that they can't do math, they can't understand technology, or they get lost because they are women. Some women think that they are "less than" and men are better than them at these things and other things. We need to stop telling our girls that they can't do certain things because of their gender. As a young girl, one of my family members told me that I couldn't be the president of the USA, because I am an African American female.
Also, telling females that they do things better because of their gender is just as bad. Are men paying women a compliment when they say that women can clean better, cook better, or communicate better? Ugh, no! Men clean what they want to. It's cool for them to clean their cars and motorcycles. There are plenty of chefs who are men, and men seem to have plenty to say (and it's super acceptable) when they are talking about business or politics. Obviously men and women have their differences, but why we raise the bar on equality?
I just wish and hope that the positive images that we have of women in all roles inspire women to pursue both traditional and nontraditional dreams. It doesn't matter if a woman aspires to become a homemaker or a construction worker, she should be able to do what she chooses.
