B AC H E LO R O F A R T S / B AC H E LO R O F A DVA N C E D S T U D I E S
BY JULIA KOKIC
W
MUSINGS ON MOTHERHOOD
e live in a land of opportunity. If you’re reading this, it probably means you’re blessed enough to be able to receive tertiary education. If you’re a female university student reading this, you are the beneficiary of years of feminist activism promoting equality of the sexes and the right for all people to have an education. This history which underpins our position of privilege today is often taken for granted. Feminism has made strides in this country. In 1902, women received the right to vote (unfortunately to the exclusion of indigenous women). Not long before, there was a prominent opinion that women were not intellectually capable of engaging in politics. The assertion continues to baffle me, as a woman majoring in politics, who religiously follows the news cycle. Thankfully, the positive trajectory for women’s rights continued. During the First and Second World War, women had an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to contribute just as much as their male counterparts to the workforce as winning the war depended just as much on the Home Front as the troops overseas. This precipitated into an evolution of culture, facilitated by seminal texts like The Female Eunuch, which have allowed women to transcend the 1950s housewife stereotype, and to become fellow self-determining individuals alongside men. These feats, along with countless more contributions made by the feminist movement, have meant Australian women are in a position far more preferable than in the past.
If we reduce feminism to its simplistic definition, equality of the sexes, it demands of us that we empower women to choose the life they lead. It’s about giving us choices instead of having a life prescribed; the classic ‘equality of opportunity’, but not ‘equality of outcome’.
ma concerning full time motherhood, originating from its history as the only option in life for women for decades. Consequently, motherhood is errantly framed as a life of bondage rather than of choice. I argue that there needs to be a resurgence of support for stay-at-home mums. They are the unsung heroes. For them, there are no Linkedin updates, or accolades. Generally, it is a life of humility, sacrifice, and the laborious project of raising often ungrateful children into upright citizens. We often (and justifiably) celebrate figures like Julia Gillard and Julie Bishop for their lives of service. Being a stay-at-home mum is just as much a life of service, except they go largely unnoticed.
Lately the feminist movement in Australia has been concerned with women in the workforce. Supporting women who enter the workforce is fantastic. Notably, there are exciting new horizons for women interested in STEM subjects. This is worthy of celebration, and has consumed a lot of air time. That being said, there seems to be an inverse relationship between the growing support for women who pursue careers I consider my own mother while writing and dwindling respect for women who this article. My mother is one of the most strong, intelligent and self-determing choose full-time motherhood. people I know. And she decided to put Is it just me who has noticed a growing her teaching career on hold to raise my disdain for motherhood? More spe- brother and I. As a mother, there are no cifically, ‘stay at home mums’? These prospects of promotion, nor is there an women are often met with the well- income. But she was able to devote her-intentioned but slightly condescen- self wholly to us, which was often met ding comment “must be nice [to stay at with gross ingratitude. Nevertheless, home]”, as if the life of a full-time mum both my brother and I look back on our could be reduced to laying down on the childhood fondly, as we were driven to couch reading The Australian Women’s soccer practice, karate, violin lessons, Weekly. While there’s been a great po- swimming practice and guitar lessons sitive emphasis on working women, fe- to name a few. On a hard day, walking minists should be careful not to conflate home from the school bus with tears in feminism and careerism. Some women my eyes, I always knew mum would be endeavour to become CEOs, and some waiting for me; someone that would liswomen endeavour to become full-time ten patiently to my troubles and give me mothers. But neither ambition should advice. The extent of the time she gave us was only possible due to the huge sabe degraded or considered less valid. Unfortunately, there seems to be a stig- crifice she made by postponing her career. The path she chose in life was one of service and should not be the subject of disdain. My mum will never be on the front of TIME magazine, but she is also worthy of celebration. As women, we ought to build each other up, not tear each other down. Whether it’s just work or just motherhood or both combined, we all need to support each other’s endeavours. We can’t just be uplifting one type of woman, but all women. That is the true mark of feminism.
USYD WOMEN
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