Have You Ever Been in a Bind...er?

As a female, a mom and a self-acclaimed workaholic there have been many times in my life when I have felt slighted, judged and insulted.  But, never so much as I have this past week.

I guess you could call me a 'working mom'.  One that 'chooses' to go and earn a paycheck (and stay sane) and then come home to make dinner, do laundry, bathe the little one and tuck him in tight.  Does my work take away time from him or my family?  On the contrary, me going to work allows us to enjoy time together, to be able to pay for a roof over our head, bread on the table and a wonderful daycare where my little boy will grow intellectually.

Just because I 'juggle' my home and work life, does not mean I can't do the job that a male with my same education, same work experience and same determination can do.  It also does not mean that I should be paid less.

When asked about the issue of women in the workforce and fair wages in the 2nd Presidential Debate, Governor Mitt Romney responded with, "I feel that if we are to have women in the workforce..."  Um...if we HAVE to have women in the workforce?  Sorry, not all of us can sit at home, raise race horses and be a socialite.  He then proceeded to explain that HE was the one that asked his staff to get more women on his cabinet.  That 'surely there are qualified women out there'...

Well, of course there were.  Thankfully, his staff was able to present to him 'binders full of women' who would be qualified to sit on his cabinet.  Hmmm...so these binders...were they small, big, Trapper Keeper size or ones large enough to house the entire constitution of the United States?  Was there more than one name on a page?  Were they standard or legal sized papers with names?  Were pictures included?  And just how many binders...two...two hundred?  And where did they find these 'women' - in just the D.C. area, across the country...was Alaska included (Would Sarah Palin have qualified)?

To make his answer worse, he doesn't just stop with the binder, he continues to explain that he is such an awesome boss that he believes in a flexible schedule for his female employees so that they can take the kids to school or make it home to cook dinner for the family.  Well, thank freakin' GOD!  There's nothing I want more in an employer than for them to understand that as a woman, I have the inherent need to rush home to put my apron on and fry the bacon I've earned up in a pan.

Then President Obama answered...with numbers, facts.  Women make up more than 60% of the current workforce. Who appointed Hillary Clinton?  Yes, it sucks that women get paid $.72 on the dollar that men make.  But, he believes that everyone should have the same opportunity for education, the same opportunities in the workforce and have the ability to maintain a balance between home and work - he did not infer that women should choose whether to work or stay at home.

I thought it was interesting that nobody asked a follow up question - what about the men?  If women are increasingly present in the workforce does that mean that the presence of men is decreasing?  If so, are THEY at home?  I know a lot of males that have decided to stay at home with the kids.  Hell, they even have a show on NBC (that hasn't been cancelled yet) called Up All Night where the man decided to stay at home with the baby because the woman had a better income and more stability in her job.

So, yes, the women are sacrificing.  We are doing it all.  Blah blah blah.  We always have.  But, let's not forget that some men are sacrificing right now too.  Choosing, during these tough economic times, to either only work part-time and keep the house in order or to be a stay-at-home dad. 

I'm sure Mitt would have been like a deer in the headlights if someone asked him if it was okay to be a stay-at-home dad.  Or he may have explained that God has a plan for everyone and then he probably would have reminded us that for a man to be able to be a stay at home dad, the women have to get pregnant.  When that happens, they get maternity leave and that costs businesses in the long run.

I digress, the question wasn't asked.  Perhaps on Tuesday someone will ask about the candidates' views on stay-at-home dads and pregnant working women.  That or whether they like pepperoni or sausage on their pizza.