Comments on: Leaders, not victims http://www.leechalmers.com/2010/03/20/leaders-not-victims/ Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:45:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lee Chalmers http://www.leechalmers.com/2010/03/20/leaders-not-victims/comment-page-1/#comment-274 Lee Chalmers Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:51:18 +0000 http://www.leechalmers.com/?p=227#comment-274 Thanks for your comment Celestina. What great points. Sometimes we confuse 'women' with 'mothers'. All mothers are women but not all women are mothers and a lot of what we are arguing for in terms of getting women into business is actually about making work more accessible for mothers. Or fathers. Parents really. 'Man' is not reduced to 'father' in the way that 'woman' is reduced to mother and therein lies a clue about what it will take for full equality. Thanks for your comment Celestina. What great points.

Sometimes we confuse ‘women’ with ‘mothers’. All mothers are women but not all women are mothers and a lot of what we are arguing for in terms of getting women into business is actually about making work more accessible for mothers. Or fathers. Parents really.

‘Man’ is not reduced to ‘father’ in the way that ‘woman’ is reduced to mother and therein lies a clue about what it will take for full equality.

]]> By: Celestina Teems http://www.leechalmers.com/2010/03/20/leaders-not-victims/comment-page-1/#comment-273 Celestina Teems Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:28:53 +0000 http://www.leechalmers.com/?p=227#comment-273 Less than two months after the Tammy Wynette remarks, Hillary Clinton was facing questions about whether she could have avoided possible conflicts of interest between her governor husband and work given to the Rose Law Firm, when she remarked, "I've done the best I can to lead my life ... You know, I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life" (Clinton 2003, p. 109). The "cookies and teas" part of this statement prompted even more culture-based criticism of Clinton's apparent distaste for women who had chosen to be homemakers; the remark became a recurring campaign liability (Bernstein 2007, pp. 205–206). Clinton subsequently offered up some cookie recipes as a way of making amends, and would later write of her chagrin: "Besides, I've done quite a lot of cookie baking in my life, and tea-pouring too!" (Clinton 2003, p. 109). Less than two months after the Tammy Wynette remarks, Hillary Clinton was facing questions about whether she could have avoided possible conflicts of interest between her governor husband and work given to the Rose Law Firm, when she remarked, “I’ve done the best I can to lead my life … You know, I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life” (Clinton 2003, p. 109). The “cookies and teas” part of this statement prompted even more culture-based criticism of Clinton’s apparent distaste for women who had chosen to be homemakers; the remark became a recurring campaign liability (Bernstein 2007, pp. 205–206). Clinton subsequently offered up some cookie recipes as a way of making amends, and would later write of her chagrin: “Besides, I’ve done quite a lot of cookie baking in my life, and tea-pouring too!” (Clinton 2003, p. 109).

]]> By: Denise @ Raw Brides http://www.leechalmers.com/2010/03/20/leaders-not-victims/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Denise @ Raw Brides Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:42:18 +0000 http://www.leechalmers.com/?p=227#comment-66 I just don't want to work in a high pressured environment and the idea of "climbing the ladder" is so unappealing for me. The current political system makes me feel so heavy - no way would I ever go into it as it currently is. What excites me is working for myself, choosing my clients, colleagues, working hours, working topics, flexibility in where I spend my time, mental and emotional energy - maybe the small entrepreneurial business is where there is a more level playing field for women? I just don’t want to work in a high pressured environment and the idea of “climbing the ladder” is so unappealing for me. The current political system makes me feel so heavy – no way would I ever go into it as it currently is.

What excites me is working for myself, choosing my clients, colleagues, working hours, working topics, flexibility in where I spend my time, mental and emotional energy – maybe the small entrepreneurial business is where there is a more level playing field for women?

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