One of the perspectives that was embedded in the then
status quo, the then culture, was that women were ‘inferior’ to men and their
place was in the home – taking care of the children and the household. While women
do this, the men will work and ‘bring in the money.’ Women began to fight for gender
equality and to be independent, as such, our culture has evolved and women can
now work and provide for themselves independent of the man.
Today, we see women being CEOs, Prime Ministers, and
Managers etc. The debate as to whether or not women should be doing male
dominated jobs has been eradicated – never to be revived again. For women have
proved to men that any job a man can do, they can do it too and, even better –
silencing the critics. Additionally, women have also dominated the education
sector. When I entered college, I was told that the male to female ratio was
1:6. Imagine that! There are more females graduating from high schools, colleges,
and universities than their male counterparts.
I respect an independent woman; I am not and will never be threatened
by an independent woman. I love the idea of women being independent. Though I personally
believe that men should be the leader of their households, over the years,
women have played that role pretty well. Though the bible refers to women as
the ‘weaker vessel’, I have to acknowledge that women do have some ‘balls,’
(pun intended). When I examine our current status quo, though I have no
research or study to substantiate my opinion, I wonder if women are innately dependent
or it’s just human beings in general.
Out of my high school class of about fifty of us, of which
about thirty plus being females, to my knowledge, neither of them have a
tertiary education and I can literally count on my fingers how much haven’t had
a child. Nothing is wrong with having a child, but when they keep having
children, putting their education on pause, would it not result in them being ‘dependent’
on a man? When I see young girls successfully graduated from high school, have
the opportunity to get an education and they choose instead to get pregnant,
would they not be dependent on a man? If they are not working, who takes care
of them and the child? The man! The way things are going now, you might need qualifications
to merely baby sit.
Minimum wage cannot do a thing. When you have to pay bills,
buy food, send children to school, and with food prices going sky high, what
can five thousand dollars a week do? When our young girls see the implications
of being dependent, even from others, how come they choose that type of
lifestyle? Why not follow the footsteps of successful women who have trod the
independent path? I have become weary of seeing teenage girls throwing their
lives away. Not because the man can “gi yuh a likkle ting” doesn’t mean you are
obligated to give him a child, and therefore give up your opportunity of being independent.
I am not saying that young girls have not had children and
yet they manage to be independent – I have seen it. But why choose a life of
dependency when you have the strength, power and much to offer the world? I know
there is a reason why many young girls chose to go to universities and colleges
rather than having five children for five different men. Teenage pregnancy is a
major social ill, it has its implications, but in most cases, it results in
teenage girls living a life of dependency. Young ladies, you are more than
that, so please start acting as such. Sometimes when I see women above age
thirty being pregnant, it looks weird, out of place. But I will not accept
young teenage girls being fooled by material things and get captured, sometimes
by the scammer youth.
To my young girls: you are special, you can achieve much
more, and you have so much strength, power and vigor, waiting to be unleashed.
Please be independent, get an education, stop being misled, believe it or not, “pickey
nah hold man again.” Set your priorities straight, it’s good to have children,
but its better when you can provide for them and take care of yourself. Young men,
nuh feel nuh way, nuff respect mi brethren, but I have to empower our women. Please,
be independent!
Kenroy Davis is an educator and commentator on social issues. Email feedback to: kenroy.davis20@gmail.com
