MEN & WOMEN: Women, uplift one another!

There is nothing as bad as trying to achieve something when some people are discouraging you. Some women discourage others, not out of malice, but because they are conservatives and they are bond to certain cultural norms. A career can’t be built in a day and sacrifice is needed if one is to achieve their goal. The empowered woman of the twenty-first century has to forego some things, such as early marriage, if they are to enjoy a successful career. Besides marriage being a long life commitment, one has to make plans which will not negatively affect the family. For instance if a married woman is to travel abroad for further studies she has to put her family in consideration.A few years back a woman would have already have three children by the age of twenty-five; but today, because of education, most women have their first child at this age. Currently, we women are spending longer time in school trying to shape our career. Now we want to attain a bachelor’s degree, then a masters and finally a doctorate as well. But these qualifications can’t be received in a year or two. They take several years and a lot of determination to attain. I’m a young woman in my late twenties and there is nothing as nagging as some of my aunts and their friends asking me when I’m getting married. They act like a woman’s life centres around matrimony. The most annoying thing is when I tell them that I want to first complete school, they tell me a real woman belongs at home with her husband and children and not in an office. I believe and respect matrimony but that does not mean that it should be my ultimate goal in life. I cannot forego my other beliefs just to make some people happy.I also believe a woman can do anything they choose. Don’t our women leaders have husbands and children? Women have to support and uplift one another if we are to deal with gender inequality. Mothers and aunts have to encourage their girls to excel, telling them that they are capable of doing anything if they put their mind to it. They shouldn’t be discouraging them.