Apparently, I am a 'left-over woman' at least, so says this article :) In fact, I am two years into this status and that's not 'good news'.
This morning two colleagues at work started the day off with a conversation about, 'what is the definition of a woman in African society?' The guy kept highlighting how in African traditional societies, a girl only became a woman when she was married off and had a child. The babe was livid. 'How can you be oblivious to how disrespectful, unkind and unfair that kind of thinking is?!' she retorted. 'What if the woman was simply unable to bear children? or was infertile?- does this mean she is not a woman?!' He was adamant. 'Those cases were few and far between and their rarity only went to show that such women were simply unlucky!' The babe almost had a heart attack!
Thankfully, in walked the country manager and the uncomfortable conversation had to be halted.
This exchange, coupled with the article above got me thinking about myself and all at once I felt the 'pressure' that is associated with all this marriage and baby talk. That was only for a couple of seconds- okay, maybe a number of minutes :)...and then I decided to 'confront' myself and find out why I am going on 30, unmarried, with no prospects in sight. I am going to share three of the reasons I 'found'.
This morning two colleagues at work started the day off with a conversation about, 'what is the definition of a woman in African society?' The guy kept highlighting how in African traditional societies, a girl only became a woman when she was married off and had a child. The babe was livid. 'How can you be oblivious to how disrespectful, unkind and unfair that kind of thinking is?!' she retorted. 'What if the woman was simply unable to bear children? or was infertile?- does this mean she is not a woman?!' He was adamant. 'Those cases were few and far between and their rarity only went to show that such women were simply unlucky!' The babe almost had a heart attack!
Thankfully, in walked the country manager and the uncomfortable conversation had to be halted.
This exchange, coupled with the article above got me thinking about myself and all at once I felt the 'pressure' that is associated with all this marriage and baby talk. That was only for a couple of seconds- okay, maybe a number of minutes :)...and then I decided to 'confront' myself and find out why I am going on 30, unmarried, with no prospects in sight. I am going to share three of the reasons I 'found'.
- I am not yet interested in 'settling down'- and I believe one has to be 'interested' to even spot the 'marriage material' partner. Actions follow choice/ decision.
- I am a single-minded individual- I am probably the world's only female unable to truly multitask. If the 'task' is important enough, I must do it with all my heart and energy and then move to the next- not a second before. At the moment, that task is my career as a civil rights activist.
- My standards are still too 'high'- apparently, I should have 'lowered my expectations' of men by now.
The link is impossible to believe...nice article well complemented by the pictures.
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