Career
Let’s Talk About It! Gabrielle Union says “The Penance for being a Career Woman is Barrenness”
Just a day after “Sex & the City” star Kim Cattrall explained that she finds the term “childless” offensive and also that she considers herself to be a mother (of her nieces/nephews and young people she mentors) despite not having any biological children; Now “Being Mary Jane” lead Gabrielle Union is sharing her view which will surely get people talking.
In an interview with Redbook Magazine for their October 2015 “Ageless” issue, Gabrielle says this –
On IVF and the pressures of trying for a family later in life…
“So far, it has not happened for us. A lot of my friends deal with this. There’s a certain amount of shame that is placed on women who have perhaps chosen a career over starting a family younger. The penance for being a career woman is barrenness. You feel like you’re wearing a scarlet letter.“
On how hard it is for working women with children…
“The reality is that women are discriminated against in the workplace for being mothers. As much as there are strides being made – you get pregnant, your career takes a hit. You can’t have a bad day. Don’t you dare cry at work. Don’t raise your voice. Especially if you’re a black woman in corporate America—now you’re ‘the angry black woman.'”
On the weird thing about being married to a younger man…
“I realized his friends, his teammates, were conceived when I was, like, a senior in high school. I was in high school at the same time as their parents! Sometimes he’ll be like, ‘Oh, my God, he’s so old!’ about someone who’s 35. But, Dwyane’s an old 33, and I’m a young 42, so it balances out.”
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This is certainly an interesting viewpoint. We are not sure how it resonates in the Nigerian context but we do know a large number of our BN fam are working women all over the world.
Let us know your thoughts.
