All Issues Are Women’s Issues

My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary.  There was a time when it was expected married couples would stay together.  You married your true love and lived happily ever after. Well, you lived together ever after anyway, whether happily or not.

Today it is commonplace that families no longer stay together.  The divorce rate is way too high. I’m not sure if anyone knows what it is. There are multiple studies out there with differing data. We can all agree, however, just from our personal knowledge, that the figure is way too high.

When I asked my husband why our marriage had lasted, he said, “what, are you crazy?  Why would you ever get rid of someone like me?” He has a point.

We all can share some blame for the decline in the traditional American family.  

Sometimes women were discouraged from “choosing” to stay home and answer the highest calling a woman can have, to be a mother and teach and nurture.   Often we have promoted any form of support, charity, welfare, etc., except a father in the home helping to take care of the family. Women have been told, “do your own thing,” and men were told, “you are not responsible, it’s a woman’s choice” (in all matters).

This ideology teaches that the most important goal in life is personal fulfillment and happiness.  When people are more concerned with their own self-gratification than the family as a unit, the results are inevitable.  Everyone loses. A family thrives when the individuals put the family unit as a whole, in the priority position and work to make it survive.  Everyone wins.

Some paint women as being unable to make decisions for themselves on anything except abortion.  They believe the only reason we could possibly make less money than a man is because we are discriminated against.  It never occurs to them that it just could be the “choices” we make. Although there is a lot of data out there to support the notion that women often “choose” professions that are less demanding and therefore, the pay scale is usually lower. It shouldn’t matter to anyone what jobs women tend to seek, as long as it is her “choice”. 

Many have preached the virtues of “pro choice” when it comes to abortion.  But when women make decisions regarding their choice of professions to pursue, it just could not possibly be “choice” keeping them in professions that pay less. 

There are many studies showing that men and women are equal in pay when all factors are considered, equal education, time on the job, etc. There also are discrimination laws that are in place for protection. 

I don’t like the term “womens’ issues.” Surprise! All issues are womens’ issues and most women put their family first and want what is best for the unit as a whole.

Most women want to be allowed to “choose” the schools that those little ones we “choose” to birth and nurture should attend. We care about the education that they are receiving and want to make certain it’s the best it can be. We care that our children can’t enjoy the freedom we experienced as a child because it’s unsafe to go out alone. We care that children are being bullied at school. We care about those who have hardships. We care about everything that affects our homes and communities. 

Staying together as a family isn’t always possible. In most cases, the women are hit the hardest when this occurs. Many times it is not their choice. We should all agree that women are independent thinkers and  usually make decisions based on what’s best for our families. Even if the result is a lower wage profession. 

Most of us women have been busy taking care of our families, working in our communities and in our businesses, making the world go round. We should not let others speak for us. We are WOMEN. Hear us ROAR.