CONVERSATIONS IN MY HEAD - DIARY TEN

"Babe, does it bother you that young girls are being prepared for a stereotypical way of life?" Ara asked me.
"Of course it does. You bet it does."
"Is that an end to the partiality?"
"Well, I doubt there is. However, what i know for certain is that more girls can be brought up and trained to break the mould. A woman is not all about being the man's sex toy, his baby factory, cook and housekeeper."
"But they say nature has the woman's work cut out for her. Aren't those the job descriptions nature selected for females?"





"The woman was created to be the bearer of life, the incubation and continuity of life resides in her. Nurturing is her exclusive preserve, yes. But she's so much more than that! If all she needs to do is to pop out babies, feed them and clean up after everyone, then she wouldn't have been created with the rich deposit inside of her."
"Rich deposit you say? Really? What, apart from biological functions, can a woman do that a man can't?"
"Ara, you didn't just ask me that! Seriously? The strength of a woman cannot be matched by man. Take for example, a woman who plays the role of daughter, sister, mother, wife, entrepreneur or career woman, religious leader and friend. To each of these roles, she switches from being one person to another. Her strength is drawn from all those angles. And before you go off telling me a man also plays different roles, which I very much agree they do, you find that in those different roles, she has men looking to her for strength, succour and support. She really does carry everyone else while also supporting herself."

"Hmn . . . you have a point there. Sometimes I wonder what it feel like being a woman. I see women taking on so much that they begin to look like super beings to me."
"That's why our young ladies need to be taught to harness their inner strength, to maximize their potentials and live to their utmost best. They are not just to look pretty on a man's arm, no. They have too much to offer the world, too much of depth, to be relegated to just pretty faces bearing children and sweating at the stove. We have had a few female presidents in the world, we need more. I'll be glad to be flown by a female pilot. In industry, economy, politics, we should prepare our young girls to lead, show how it can be done right."

"But there have been women in these posts who messed up really badly. They had their chance to make a way for other women, but they have rather blocked that way."
"Unfortunately, the first part is true. However, I don't believe they have blocked the way for other women. Men have been messing up in leadership positions for ages, yet, they keep filling those seats . . ."
"It's different. It's a man's world."
"Says who? If some women have messed up, then we correct their error. We show the world how it should be done. We instill in our daughters the right values. For this to be effectively done, we need daddies and mummies to fight less and love on each other more. Show enviable examples at home. Together, instill values in their kids, their daughters most especially. The boys, by default are expected to be engineers, political leaders, economic movers and shakers, fine. But who says the girls cannot be these and more?"

"They see daddy sit in front of the TV, a newspaper in his hands, catching up on what he missed during his time at work. The boys are either with him in the sitting room or somewhere else playing. Mummy and the girl(s) are sweating in the kitchen to make sure daddy and the boys eat", Ara paused, looked at me for some seconds, then continued. "Don't you think mothers unconsciously pass the message to their daughters that they are subordinate to the males?"
"Unfortunately, that's what it has been. That's what was passed down to them as young girls themselves. Women that are making a mark in their chosen fields today, had to work much more harder than their male counterparts to prove their mettle. Sometimes, they are accused of having slept their way to the top, warming this or that authority figure's bed to be where they are. As if on her own, she cannot attain great height. Modern women, mothers, instructors, teachers, need to dump the old 'curriculum' and instill confidence in our young girls. Let them know that the difference between them and their male counterpart is purely biological. They have the same brain, therefore, can the same things the boys can. Enough of the old wives tale, let's prepare our girls to step up to the plate."
"Very well said. But is it achievable?"
"Of course it is!"