Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. I know some people don't believe there should be any special designations given out like this, supports being separate or something. I found this interesting fact today while searching for some info. for work. In history books only 2 percent of text is devoted to women. Thus the need for the month because we just didn't and mostly don't learn about what women have done to contribute throughout history.

I also found this great article at womensenews.com about Mothers facing continuing discrimination. I found this article to be very thought provoking. Consider:

"We like to think that all women have choices today. But what kinds of choices do mothers really have? The choice to work our rear ends off in corporate jobs that refuse viable part-time positions or quit and stay home? The choice to go on welfare after a divorce and then be forced to work at Wal-Mart? The choice to never see our kids during daytime hours or never put our college degrees to work?

"I think it just goes back to old-fashioned discrimination against women," says Ann Crittenden, author of the "The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World Is Still the Least Valued." "We lavishly support the things men choose to do, whether they choose careers in the military, or science, or farming, but we don't support the choices women make," Crittenden adds. Namely, the choice for women to bear and raise a child themselves."

and

"Crittenden and others believe the unpaid work of mothers needs to be quantified and measured by the Gross Domestic Product and also qualify for Social Security. Women who stay home to raise their children--the future taxpayers of America--unintentionally put themselves at financial risk. In fact, spending time out of the paid work force to raise children (or provide any type of unpaid caregiving work) can lead to poverty. This is amply demonstrated by the current cohort of retirement-age women, who are almost twice as likely to be poor than men in the same age group.

"We feel that the unpaid caregiving work that all mothers do has got to be recognized and valued by society," says Joanne Brundage, founder and executive director of Mothers and More, an Illinois-based advocacy group for mothers.

To help keep mothers and children out of poverty we also need viable part-time work options, health care, access to education and job training regardless of our economic status, and affordable, high-quality preschool and day care if we choose it for our children."

I do not have children. Just to upfront about that. But I know many who do and they are put in this situation daily. You are pulled in every direction. But it seems to me that all the lip service about being good parents and the benefits children receive when parents spend more quality time with them is just that, lip service. What democrat or republican is going to truly stand up for women and get bills passed that truly benefit the family? Also why are women looked down on in the workforce when they take time off to take care of their children? They should be applauded! This isn't just a woman's issue, there are many men staying home too now, they should be protected too. This is a family issue that effects this country to the core.

Check out the entire article
here.