RIP Wonder Woman

RIP

You may have noticed the internet was all atwitter last week after Anne-Marie Slaughter dared to voice a secret many of us women have been desperate to keep from our bosses and families for years: We’re not really superheroes.

That’s right, folks, Wonder Woman is dead.

It was a brave thing to do. Stripping away the cape of expectations that have been placed over the shoulders of young women for the last couple of decades. Expectations about what it means to be a successful woman -- at home and in the office -- that have often demoralized much more than they empowered.

Unfortunately, this kind of honest talk has led several feminist writers to trip over one another in a rush to defend the movement rather than engage in a constructive discussion about the broader point: Most workplaces still are not conducive to women raising a family and achieving professional success simultaneously. A statement that rings as true for the woman at the upper echelons of power as it does for the one who bags groceries for minimum wage.

Let me just state from the outset: This isn’t a critique of the Feminist Movement. Settle down, ladies, I haven’t left the sisterhood. But I do believe that dismissing Slaughter’s argument by proclaiming (1) she misunderstands the message of the movement and/or (2) this whole work-life balance thing is practically as old as Betty White does a great disservice to every woman who is struggling to balance motherhood, a successful career (in whatever terms she defines it), and find the time for a drink with the girls and the occasional yoga class.

Let’s face it: We are living in a culture that glorifies motherhood and the family while working in a culture that largely supports neither. That needs to change.

Rosie says 'It's time to tackle work-life balance once a for all.' Don't mess with Rosie!

So how do we move forward? Slaughter offers several places to start, here are three more to consider:

AFFORDABLE, PORTABLE HEALTH INSURANCE
I know far too many women who are stuck in demanding, draining jobs because they’re terrified of giving up their employer-sponsored health insurance. These are women who would love to start their own businesses or pursue new, more fulfilling careers, but who are unwilling to face the prospect of finding health insurance in the often pricey individual market.

Delinking employment and health insurance (and ensuring health insurance is both portable and affordable for everyone) is an important step in removing one of the financial barriers for women (and men, too) to pursue a career that fits their lifestyle choices.

VACATIONS
Vacations aren't just for the Griswolds, folks! During my 3-month jaunt across the pond, one of my biggest ‘a-ha!’ moments was discovering people in many parts of the world actually have and take vacation time. Now, I don’t mean to sound all unpatriotic, but we could learn a thing or two from the Europeans on this one.

In all my time traveling overseas, I ran into exactly zero Europeans who were struggling to find work-life balance. Most were enjoying guilt-free time away from the office and were, frankly, astonished that whole swaths of Americans don’t have vacation time. They were even more dumbfounded at those who do, but choose not to use it.

Now I’m not suggesting we adopt Europe’s policy of 4-6 weeks of paid vacation (although, wouldn't that be fabulous?). Instead, how about we: (1) take the vacation time we’ve been promised, (2) encourage our employees and co-workers to do the same, (3) fight for vacation time for those who don’t have it, and (4) stop glorifying the workaholic lifestyle.

FLEXIBILITY
Speaking of which, can we all stop pretending that those who stay the latest are the most valuable/dedicated/productive? Contrary to popular belief, consistently staying in the office past the late, local news isn’t a sign that you’re a stellar employee, it’s a sign that (a) the job is too big for you and/or (b) you’re not using your daytime hours well. Neither is a good thing. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.

Time away from the office is important. It boosts morale and fosters creativity, productivity, and wellbeing in the workplace. So it seems like a no-brainer that companies should take the lead in promoting downtime by making their workplaces more flexible. That flexibility could be anything from offering on-site childcare options and allowing employees to telecommute, to replacing unnecessary business trips with videoconferencing and, as Slaughter suggests, scheduling important meetings during school hours. The point is there are many ways for creative employers to make their businesses more family-friendly and enable their workforce to be great employees AND great parents too.


I don’t intend for this to be taken as a comprehensive list to solve all of our work-life woes -- merely to continue a conversation that is happening in lots of online spaces and more than a few dinner tables. What do you think? Is it possible to be a mom and have a successful career simultaneously? Are there things we can do it make it easier? Most importantly, is Wonder Woman really dead? 

{Images via Leadership in Practice & Wikipedia (where else?)}