Women and their careers

[pepperedmoth]

A bunch of the prior entries (particularly this one) have really made me think about the attitudes women encounter when contemplating careers. I'm sure this is all quite obvious to many of you, but I hadn't thought of it in quite these terms before, and wanted to talk about it

Comments

[kleiosgirl]

Check out today's opinion piece by Karen Stabiner "What Yale Women Want" in the LA Times. She really destroyed the reasoning behind those Yale students' arguments.

[chreebomb]

well, perhaps some women *want* to be stay at home mothers. there's no shame there.

[fooltheworld]

I echo this sentiment. I'd like to also add that as a stay-at-home mom I have been accused of being selfish and not worthwhile. I think some women choose a career, some choose motherhood, some choose both and some have no choice. I don't feel it necessary to judge any of them.

[chreebomb]

*thumbs up*

[the_living_end]

yup.
i feel like im treated like a nonperson have the time because i dont have a job.

[bodlon]

I've been thinking about this. It's one of those things that, as a woman working and going to college and not entirely anti-child, does cross my mind

[krazyhippie]

I agree that the one person shouldn't be the default caregiver simply because of which kind of genitals they have. For us, I'm going to be the one to stay at home but that's because I REALLY want to do it (but only for the first year or so, I don't think I could stand it for more than a few anyway...I get too antsy) and my partner feels indifferent toward it. Because of his indifference, if it was something I really DIDN'T want to do, he'd step in and be the SAH dad. He just doesn't really care either way and I do. Heh. Plus I really look forward to breastfeeding and he can't do that. ha. But that's certainly not the most important reason. I think it's a decisino a couple should actually make together if they feel being at home with the baby is important, not something that should automatically go to one person or the other.

[nosmokegirl]

well, i don't know about you, but working a bejillion hours a week, with little time off in a high stress environment trying to "work my way up" any sort of ladder sounds like a whole lot of hell to me.

"careers" are often portrayed that way. and it sounds like hell.

maybe because women were never actually encouraged to do this, they don't have as much appeal to them, as opposed to men, where they've heard about it all their lives, and they are actively pushed to go into such territory....

just thoughts.

[chreebomb]

it IS hell!
:)

especially when you have to come home to three classes full of homework and a hungry and tired preschooler!

[timetokill]

I think a lot of women look at the career-oriented fields and don't see a lot of personal fulfillment. A lot of women might want to stay at home and focus on family issues. Similarly, a lot of women might not have that same desire to "climb the corporate ladder" or whatever, and don't find satisfaction through that. I don't think that in of itself is a problem.

It probably does lie quite a bit in how people are raised and everything. But maybe it doesn't have to do with "being capable," but more with not really desiring high-level, high-powered, high-stress work.

[touchyphiliac]

This makes sense.