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Distaff Side

Reading the comments on this article where women shared their own stories was eye-opening. The one I particularly relate to is about seeing work that is easily and plainly visible to me but to no one else. This is just as true at home as it is at work. Given such natural talent, it is routine for me to find work where none exists for the rest of the world.

Now I am starting to wonder if this "talent" grew on me as I was for the longest time the sole provider for my family unit of two - me and J. Maybe I wanted to have value beyond putting food on the table and paying bills because at some level I was conditioned to believe those are not things that make a woman's life whole and meaningful. 

So when I cleaned up the clutter, swept the floor, cooked food, upcycled stuff and so on, there was a sense of validation of my womanhood. I can see this play out for women who can feel they are emasculating their male partner by out-earning them. To regain the "loss" of womanhood this promotes, she must shine on the distaff side. In effect, women have no winning scenarios if care about being nice. It will just open the floodgates of invisible work, guilt, stress and imposter syndrome. 
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