Part 1 of 2
This is my response to Karen’s statement that has been circulating on social media. Karen claims that women must be empowered, and she firmly believes that women’s empowerment is determined by whether or not they have their own income. She has been advocating for women to have jobs, arguing that a woman should earn her own living rather than relying on her boyfriend or spouse for financial security.
I think that her definition of an empowered woman is completely subjective. For me, an empowered woman is someone who has the freedom to make choices about her own life. This includes the decision to work outside the home and leave her children in the care of others, or to stay at home and raise her children. It’s important to recognize that different women have different priorities and circumstances, and what may be empowering for one woman may not be for another.
Furthermore, not having a corporate job or an independent income doesn’t mean a woman isn’t empowered. It simply means that she has the freedom to make choices about her own financial situation and to pursue her own goals and aspirations. Karen’s statement is based on her own lived experience and may not be universally applicable. It’s important to recognize that different women have different experiences and challenges. So, that’s the truth in her universe, because she believes everyone can be like her. However, not everyone is like her.
If you listen to what she’s saying, she’s now asserting that every girl, woman, or stay-at-home mom (SAHM) must be taught how to make her own income because this empowers her. This seems harmless at first glance. I mean, being an entrepreneur myself, I'm all for women having the freedom to exercise their God-given business acumen if the shoe fits; don’t we all aspire to pursue a business of some kind—one that is sustainable and able to augment the earnings of our husbands? Women ought to be financially literate because it empowers them to make informed decisions in managing money, or family wealth, if you please. But to make a generalization that an empowered woman is only one who is financially independent is scathing polarizing. Because as I have been pointing out, women come from different economic backgrounds. Mahirap na nga maging isang ina ng tahanan, dadagdagan pa ba natin ng bigat na gaya nito? You do you.
However, while I understand she has millions of social media followers—and I myself am a silent follower of hers—she is now leveraging this influence to set a standard for what she calls women's empowerment. Essentially, she’s saying that we should all follow her lead. Ha.
Household management and homemaking are significant responsibilities, and I think most Gen Xers like me would agree that we’ve seen the sheer hard work of our very own mothers during their time. Now, let’s consider the women who choose to be SAHMs in our time. They made a conscious decision to take care of their children themselves, instead of hiring other women to look after them and run the day-to-day affairs of their home. That is an agreed-upon decision between them and their husbands. The husband goes out to work and provide for the family, while the housewife takes care of the children—educating them from the time they were born and old enough before they go to school, teaching them basic things like counting and naming colors, and building their character with traits like empathy and kindness.
These are basic literacy and life skills that do not require a college degree from a SAHM. Significantly, she helps shape the hearts of the younger generation in order to preserve civilization. Yes! A SAHM and even the working mom—err, mothers in general—help preserve civilization, and this is what they bring to the table. This is women's empowerment at its core! And this should be enough to qualify a SAHM as an empowered woman.
If I can just talk to the SAHMs here, heart to heart. You, who chose to stay at home and be with your children, are already empowered. You are empowered because you are nurturing and building the next generation. That is how strategically placed mothers are in society. You are the one with the hands that rock the cradle; you are in a position of great influence. That alone is a serious responsibility. So, you are empowered to do that. The world may not always appreciate it, but that is something invaluable you bring to the table because you are already empowered—not merely because you earn your own income or have your own business to boot.
Now, about money—okay, who doesn’t need money? I believe in the saying, "Money is king," which emphasizes that money carries power. Money can do a lot of things for us, BUT having money is not everything. We are already empowered to begin with.
Someone might ask: what if the husband dies? And then the woman doesn’t know how to handle things? Yes, that’s a valid point. But she will step up by default. Her survival mechanism is built around the truth that this woman, the whole time, was already empowered. She will figure it out, even if it means rolling with the punches. Let us not underestimate the capability of women to rise above such a great loss. I know of many women whose husbands passed away—women who were SAHMs or were entirely focused on raising their children. When tragedy struck, they rose to the occasion. They rolled with the punches, if I may say so. Because they were already empowered internally, they were simply waiting for the opportunity to show it to the world.
We all have our roles to fulfill in this alignment. As I always say, the husband is the one who goes out to hunt for food, chop wood, and provide for the family, while the mother builds the home and provides stability. It is simply a matter of knowing your special role in this equation. Again, a woman is already empowered. People just don't appreciate it enough. But you are enough, and we are enough. Let us not allow the Karens of this world to speak less of our worth by telling us we are not empowered if we do not have our own income.
And I, thank you.
(Please stay-tuned for Part 2 of 2)