U.F.O. (Unidentified Female Object)

Yesterday was International Women's Day. Front pages and headlines woke us up with diagrams and statistics all illustrating the grim reality of modern-day female oppression. Am I the only one who doesn't feel like she fits into that (media) image?

Naturally the plight of women who are denied their human rights based solely on their gender is something that should be addressed. But is that really the case for women like me, born in the U.S. (or Sweden) during the latter half of the 20th century? Is the fact that no women are represented on the board for a local lumberyard any reason to yell, "Discrimination!" The article that presented that information in yesterday's paper failed to mention how many female candidates were even eligible for a post there.

My career choice in the health care field is in a sense pretty typical "female". I guess it's because of my maternal nurturing instincts. I knew going into physical therapy that the salaries weren't as high compared to other professional fields, but it was still my choice to become a P.T. Other choices I have made are having kids, moving, and switching jobs. Maybe I am an alien, but basically I have plotted out my own career path. Putting the family puzzle together is an ongoing (neverending) activity my husband and I tackle as a team effort.

Am I lucky to have been able to do all this? You betcha! That's exactly my point; I'm not a victim because I'm a woman. I am not in any way anti-girlpower, but I want my daughter to belong to a generation where a girl's dream does not have to be tainted by diagrams and statistics and demands for gender allocations. I want her to believe that she can determine her own destiny based on her own individual merits.