Working Women: A symbol of regressive society?
Recently, I received a
video through whatsapp ‘In conversation with the Mystic’, where Juhi Chawla was
eliciting mystic’s views on should women work or take care of the family. One
of the group members asked for everyone’s opinion on the subject of women working. This made me
think; like the mystic I too believe that every individual has a right to self
expression, so does a woman. However, for me these two are not mutually
exclusive. A woman can work and take care of the family as well. Besides, to me
it is about choosing what is right for you and your family.
Regressive Society
As per mystic’s views
working women are a symbol of regressive society. A progressive society
according to him is one where women are house wives (homemakers). To me, this
view itself is regressive because a society where an individual cannot choose
their lifestyle and is forced to act against their will is regressive. Rather,
a society which offers similar opportunities to men and women is a progressive
one. Hence, the trend of women working to contribute to the family or even for
self satisfaction and sense of achievement is a symbol of progress.
Nurturing Environment
So, first of all, if a
woman chooses to work she should go ahead and do it because I believe and speak
out of experience that a working woman can also provide a nurturing
environment, if she chooses to. Off course, it would mean opting for lesser
personal time, socialization and social interaction which is more than compensated
for with professional interaction and satisfaction. However it's your choice
and there shouldn't be any complaints or obligation to the family.
Similarly, if a woman
chooses to devote her time to the family, nothing like that. I remember the comfort
of knowing that my mother was always available to welcome and attend to us
whatever the time or situation. I credit my mother a great deal to what I am
today.
Having said this, quite
a few house wives engage in meaningful activities like taking on part time
assignments, freelancing, taking tuitions, coaching, dance, music, painting,
cooking, baking, and yoga classes; running small time businesses through whats
app or network marketing, thereby choosing to work from home. Again they have found a way of striking a balance
which suits them; a healthy way to devote time for the family and also find
ways of self expression.
As there are always
two sides of a coin and the numbers on both sides in this case are substantial,
it is also worth mentioning, there are some who have redefined the role of a
house wife. The cook does the cooking, children go for tuitions, and frequent
kitty parties are call of the day. Giving fuel to the increasing feeling among
gen next that house wives are a liability for the society instead of being an
asset. From a solution oriented perspective a slight change in thought with the
same lifestyle can reverse the sides of the coin. For example, kitty parties
could delve on societal issues or take up social work.
I would rather
subscribe to the latest term ‘Homemaker’, which to me truly conveys the essence
of being a housewife. A homemaker is one, as described by the mystic as well,
who provides the nurturing environment and atmosphere for the family to excel in
their respective chosen paths. I remember that my father could fully devote
himself to his profession because my mother was there for us. Off course, there
are many examples which may fit this description of a homemaker. So, basically,
what I mean to say is that if you choose to be a house wife, do full justice
and carry no regrets and there is no obligation to the family because it's your
choice. At the end, I'd say it's a collective decision and choice of the family
on how we want to lead our life and what is fulfilling for us.
Of course, it would be
amiss if I do not mention that all working women may not be striking the
correct balance between work and family leading to stress and unfulfilled
aspirations and expectations. So, it is all about freedom to choose and then
justifying it by ensuring that whatever the choice, you stand true to yourself
and your family.
Bread Winner
As per mystic’s views an
ideal situation would be where men are bread winners and women take care of the
family. Maybe, at the same time, there are no ideal situations in life. You
gain some and you lose some. There are always advantages and disadvantages of
the choices we make. Attempt should be to optimize the pros over the cons.
Again, there is
another model, less tried, but can definitely be successful where the woman is
the bread winner and the man the homemaker. This too can prove to be fulfilling
and satisfying as each one of us are born with different traits. Generally by
nature women are more nurturing and caring and therefore even in the animal
kingdom (mostly) we see that the female cares for the young ones. A couple
where the man has the traits suited to the nurturer’s role and the woman that
of a provider’s; there could be a role reversal, leaving everyone happier and
fulfilled. In fact, many cultures have women donning the primary role. For
example, in the North East Indian Garo tribe, women are dominant.
Women Work for Money and Material Benefits
The belief that women
work just to earn money and acquire material benefits for themselves and the
family is totally misplaced. There are always outliner cases, which cannot be
used to generalize a social trend. Some may need to work to make both ends meet
or to provide for better opportunities for their families. There are many
working women who are in the game for self expression and a sense of
satisfaction for having achieved in their lives. Education industry is replete
with examples of women who have gainfully put their professional qualifications
to use and at the same time are active homemakers.
It is not necessary
that every woman works for remuneration. There are many who work for NGO’s, are
social activist, and social workers. History
has also seen many women take on the leadership or a professional role. The
British Empire itself was lead by different queens at different points of time.
Similarly, Madam Curie is another example who immediately comes to mind besides
so many achievers in today’s time. We
have many successful contemporary examples in front of us like Indira Nooyi,
Chanda Kochhar, Shikha Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Sonali
Bendre, Sudha Murthy, Mallika Srinivasan Meenakshi Lekhi from different walks
of life and the list can go on. Where
there is a will, there is a way.
At the end, whatever
you do be proud of your choice and respect others for their choice.
Working Women, Society, Regressive Society, Symbol, Progressive Society, Women Empowerment
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