Fellow women, whether or not your are mothers - educate yourselves today about workplace discrimination.
Anecdotal evidence continues to grow every day - as tall as the corporate buildings in America where this discrimination is executed.
Your (Wo)Man in Washington invited guest blogger (and mother of 3), Jennifer L.G. Minear, to reflect on her experience with workplace discrimination. Read the full article here.
My response to Jennifer's blog: Well written. And last time I checked - raising children has demanded more skill, thought, patience, perseverance, strength, and fortitude than my former job EVER did. And I have a master's degree from one of the top physical therapy schools in the US.
How do we affect change and put a stop to antiquated and discriminating workplace practices against all parents?
1. Speak up. One person can make a difference, especially if you can collect more voices to speak up for family friendly workplace flexibility. Our country was founded on the family unit, and other countries have acted to preserve it and help it thrive. The US, however, has not. Yet.
Good news though. Read who is speaking up on behalf of mothers. The First Lady, Michelle Obama is now dedicated to creating positive change in the workplace, working to end workplace discrimination against mothers - and all parents. Read more about the movement.
Visit the Official Workplace Flexibility 2010 Website
*photo: I am educating a group of Afghan girls who have just arrived to the US in 2009, about research on including multi-vitamins as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Ginger, you are so right! The first step HAS to be speaking up. In 3 short days since my piece posted, I've heard from both mothers and single women, each with their own stories and perspectives on discrimination in (and out of) the workplace. Mothers battle prejudice on so many fronts. By sharing our stories, striking up dialogue, and educating ourselves, we can push collective thought and public policy to the right place.
ReplyDeleteMy intention was to share a tiny piece of my own life, and, in doing so, shed a bit of light on the larger social and political ideologies at play here.