Sunday February 5, 2006
Gender equality a matter of respect
I AM writing in response to JH “Look into the cultural prejudices against women” (Sunday Star, Jan 29), who questioned whether men who opt to be homemakers should be paid as well if housewives were to be given a monthly salary.
This reinforces the point that both men and women are capable of being homemakers, and that it is not the “natural” role of women to be homemakers, and men to be paid workers.
Although I believe that both men and women are entitled to be homemakers, I do not agree with JH that housewives be paid monthly salaries.
In any corporation, workers are paid by their managers for the services they provide to the company.
The homemaker is the manager of the household, which makes the household his/her “company”. Yet, the homemaker is also a worker, as he/she provides service to the family unit.
Is it fair to ask the husband to pay his wife for her services to the household, when she really isn’t working for him per se, but for the whole family?
Therefore, although homemaking is a profession that deserves to be recognised like other professions, a homemaker is unique in the sense that he/she is both a manager AND a worker.
His/her reward for services rendered is not cash, but the joys from watching the kids grow up, and creating a happy functional atmosphere for the family.
It is wrong to assume that all women would be happier being homemakers, just as it is wrong to assume that all women would be happier being independent career women.
Women who choose to have careers outside the home should not be condemned for not performing their “natural” role.
The same goes for men who choose to be homemakers, instead of holding careers outside the home.
Gender equality is not about more women working outside the home, or more men helping out at home. It is about men and women being equally respected for whatever roles they choose to play, be it a homemaker or a high-flying CEO.
RK BOO
Kuala Lumpur
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