Last week my mom, two-year-old daughter and I spent our Saturday morning voting for Hillary Clinton. It was a very special moment when my daughter pushed the button for Clinton, and I was hopeful for her future in a world where she did not remember a time when a woman hadn’t been president.
The results of the election upset me for many reasons, but one thing that I can’t get over is how Trump supporters criticized and dissected Clinton’s flaws while making excuses for and forgiving Trump’s indiscretions. Throughout the election, it remained clear that society holds women and men to different standards. I can’t help but think that if Clinton had been a man she would have won the election in a landslide.
Society’s different expectations for men and women is something I experience in my own life. The day before Clinton lost the election my husband took both of our children to the doctor. In the waiting room he was complimented by a stranger for his active parenting. Men can’t seem to lose in the parenting department. We praise them for being providers and good fathers when they work hard and excel in their careers. We praise them for being supportive and good fathers when they take their children to the doctor. On the other hand, I have never been complimented by a stranger for parenting my children, nor have I ever been complimented for working long hours so that I can provide for my family.
When Trump won the election, I saw many social media posts vowing to do good. Friends vowed to contribute to Planned Parenthood, Human Rights Campaign, and other groups that support the rights of women and minorities. Others vowed to participate more in the political process, even deciding to run for office. I was inspired as well and decided to start this blog. As a mom who has two young children, a demanding job, and a husband who works part-time, I find myself challenging societal norms. My family’s division of labor and responsibilities often confuses and sometimes bothers people. I wanted to start this blog to both find a community of other mothers like me and and also to make a contribution to the conversation about work, gender, and parenting.
I also wanted to point out that my choice of the name “Mommy Moneybags” doesn’t imply that I am rich. I am beyond wealthy by any global standard, but I still have a mortgage, student loans and two kids in daycare. “Moneybags” just refers to the the fact that ninety percent of my family’s expenses come from my salary. Also, I’m a sucker for alliteration.
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