Being a woman doesn’t mean the same thing to every other woman out there, but that’s what makes us so special. Women are all different, as are all individuals, but women were tarnished with the same brush for many years. Back in the seventies, and even moving into the eighties, women were the ‘stay at home’ mums while the husband went out to work and earned the money. Nowadays, children are put into childcare because women have paid jobs, like men. Even more so with the cost of living rising, there is more of a need for childcare whilst both parents work. 

What all women have in common are hormones. Whether you’re a mother or not, we still have different levels of hormones to contend with. Sometimes making us feel stronger, but sometimes making us feel weaker. 

Motherhood in the Sixties 

Back in the sixties, up to 50% of women didn’t work through their pregnancy. In fact, as soon as they discovered they were pregnant, they would leave their job. A small percentage of women would return to work three months after having a baby, however, most women wouldn’t return. There was no maternity leave; that didn’t come into play in the UK until 1980. Childbirth back then only took a couple of hours and women were less likely to receive epidurals. Also, less than 20% of mothers breastfed in the sixties. 

Motherhood now 

How different things are now! Motherhood is taken much more seriously, almost like a career. It is judged by many, from parenting skills to how tidy your house is. If you’re late for something you’re seen as being disorganised and if you’re early you’re seen as an uninvolved mum.

There is so much pressure on social media about what sort of mum you should be, as well as information encouraging mums not to worry about behaviours or condemnatory people. It is quite conflicting information that is unneeded and unwanted. This makes it hard for some to parent, which can encourage mental health issues such as post-natal depression. 

Some might say that parenting was easier sixty years ago, but others would disagree. Being a mum is hard, and we all have different experiences. We help our kids. We nurture them to be ready for adulthood. Being there for them throughout their childhood is one of the most important things in the world. 

Children’s lifestyles are on another level! Back in the sixties, kids would play in the street. They could walk the streets to friends’ houses or get a bus from one end of town to the other alone. Now children’s safety is becoming more and more of a worry, another thing for mums to be concerned about. 

Social media is also a constant worry for parents. In 2021, 62% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 had their own profile on at least one social media platform. As they become teenagers, we sometimes lose them to their own independence, but we still constantly worry about their safety. 

Most women of a certain age are coming to terms with their children becoming adults and flying the nest. Some are becoming grandmothers, and many are living with the partner of their adult children as they save to purchase a property of their own. 

Health Issues 

Many women have all the health issues of their family to deal with as well as their own. Women will overcome a multitude of health issues in their lifetime. Having periods when they’re mere teenagers, can be both physically and mentally draining for one. Pregnancy can also lead to complications. Not all women can have a natural pregnancy and, if they do, it’s not always successful. This can also be a huge strain. 

Then later in life, women have menopause to contend with. There are some cases when women can experience menopause without any symptoms. However, symptoms can affect 75% of women, and in some cases 25% of symptoms are severe. 

Caring 

As those women come out of the menopause stage of life and start to recover, they may find that they’ll be then caring for a parent or two. Even become a ‘sandwich generation’ which is as it sounds, when a parent of a child also cares for elderly parents. Juggling being a mum, working, looking after a home and being a carer for that elderly parent, can be a strain. Many women will go through this whilst suffering from their own health issues. 

Celebrate being a woman! 

Everyone should celebrate that women can overcome all these things with a smile on her face, because women are so good at hiding what is really going on. That question ‘are you ok?’ is answered with a nod and a smile. Women feel the need to nod through problems and sometimes go somewhere quiet, away from everyone else, and cry. 

#EmbraceEquity 

By embracing equity for International Womens Day, we accept that women have different needs to everyone else, including fellow women. We will stand to ensure that every individual is treated individually rather than equally. Some women need support, some need encouragement but most of the time we just want to be acknowledged.