This sounds like my wife 30 years ago. She was a domestic engineer for her entire career, exceptin' the jobs she had before we were married, and about 6 months after, before kiddies came along. Yes she faced the same kinds of negative commenting, but eventually learned to ignore it or avoid it. One of the worst situations was if she came to my social staff parties at school. Since I worked in elementary school, she had to face quite a few working women, and yes she got that. Not all women, but many. I took it too, as occasionally I'd get accused of chauvinism, just for us having made that decision."So, you're pretty much free like, all the time, right?"
Words from a teacher to me this week, regarding setting up a meeting regarding a school issue.
"Sure, I'll pencil you in sometime after I make lunch, do a math lesson with another child, and clean the cat puke off the couch, and before I catch the bigger one as he attempt to run down the street, start supper, and pick up the toys for the 15th time today."
Well, that was what I wanted to say. What I said was actually closer to a polite correction that I did indeed have things to do, and that while I was willing to be flexible, my time isn't just a free-for-all.
I am a homemaker(preferred term domestic engineer). I have been in this line of work a year or two short of a decade, and in this time, have found that I've encountered sexism(if this is the proper term in this context) from time to time.
There are the offhanded remarks about having an easy life doing nothing, insinuations that I'm lazy and don't want to 'work', admonishments that I should want 'more' for myself(please, I have enough), or comments that I'm wasting my life. The comments can come from anywhere, but I find they most frequently come from other women, generally under 60.
While we fight for a woman's right to secure any job she desires, and for equal pay(as I believe we should), why is it we disparage women who may choose a 'traditional' role for themselves? Are we still trying to pigeon-hole women into behaving a way we(as a society) think they should?
I'm also curious to hear if men experience anything similar. I'm not a man(at least not this time around), so I'm unsure if there's any equivalent.
I personally think you're doing a wonderful thing. Women working outside the homes only began with the wartime support, it's a recent phenomena on this planet. My mother never worked outside the home, but we were on a farm, so she worked incredibly hard, as she had designated duties on the farm, besides the raising of children.
Please don't get discouraged, and thank you on behalf of society.