This is the new millennium and hence the title “New Age woman”. It has been a king journey in the way women have evolved, just like everything else around them has changed. It doesn’t mean that women in the ancient times were less liberal or less courageous or less self-respecting than the new age woman.
To write about the new age woman and not take the perspective of today’s women or men, for that matter, did not seem right. I have tried to compile the responses and paint a picture of the new age women.
Independent
Most of the responses from, including some from a couple of my male friends swore by the fact that the new age woman is independent. Considering these are the educated, urbane, well to do people, this response can be taken to be right. Yes. The new age educated, urbane, working or non-working woman is independent. She has her own free will to do things, she is capable of doing what she wants in her own right. One of the respondents went on to say that “the independence is truly independent of everything. Her moods, her happiness and actions do not depend on anyone”. This also includes the fact that she is comfortable in her own skin. She likes to live alone and enjoys it. One of the responses also specified that the new age woman doesn’t need a man to complete them.
Confident
The new age woman self-assured. She knows what she doing and is ready to face the consequences of it as well. She is open to speaking her mind and does so in the subtlest ways possible. The new age woman has come a long way from say the previous generation women (i.e women born in the 1950s and 1960s). She oozes confidence both the physically and emotionally. She is fearless and has the courage to achieve everything if she sets her mind to it. She now has the wherewithal to challenge the status quo and the social taboos with the right questioning. She doesn’t take things lying down and can fight tooth and nail for herself if need be.
Moving away from stereotypes
A lot of women respondents felt that the new age women, are moving away from the stereotypes i.e the woman should be in the kitchen and man should be out of the house. It also means that men today have acknowledged the fact they need women alongside them to work and provide inputs and they do the vice versa at home. The stay at home dads and working moms are growing by the day. This brings in an interesting comparison between the women of today their mothers (who are from previous generation). While the older generation women abided by the rules and casted themselves in the stereotypical mold, the new age women are fighting it out on their own. While doing that, she is trying to delicately balance her relationships, be it with her parents, her partner, her children, and her in-laws.
The whole idea of bearing children has been turned upside down. Science has supported women by allowing them to freeze their eggs and choose to have a baby as and when they are ready for it. The women of today want more from just getting married, bearing and rearing children and managing a household. Some go to the extent of choosing not to have babies, instead opt of adoption, which takes a lot of courage. To be able to bring someone else’s child and make it your own takes a very big heart. Kudos to women and equal salutations to the men who support their women in this venture.
While all the above describes the new age women, some of the respondents did bring in a new line of thought when queried about their take on the new age women.
Hormones playing spoilsport
This is pretty normal these days. Menopause sets in pretty early, some women have it as early as in their mid- thirties. Although today’s women are juggling multiple roles and ensuring they fulfill each role to the best of their ability, their bodies can’t match the pace of today’s fast lifestyle. One of the respondent quoted statistics whereby she mentioned that there has been research which shows that 30% of the women are still physically abused. This clearly shows that while we talk about progressiveness, the mindsets of people still need a lot of over-hauling.
Inherent need to prove herself
One of the male respondents, brought this idea about today’s women going out there to prove themselves. They are trying to be competitive and while breaking glass ceilings they seem to be getting more insecure about the own feminity. The new age women are losing her sense of being. He went to say that, “She needs to accept the innate vulnerability of her emotions which would make her more life sensitive and life sustaining too”. The new age woman knows that she has already proven herself when she first chose to live life on her own terms. She doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone and compete with no one but her own.
New age woman and Motherhood
One of the respondents is a working mother and she meets all the characteristics of the new age women mentioned above. She feels that, “Men think we are super woman which add pressure to life. Women too need a break. They have too much on their shoulders. She does all, succeeds but the cost of her health. Men have to shoulder responsibility”. This clearly shows that although the new age woman can be independent, outgoing, ambitious, career oriented, she needs to be able to choose wisely on whether she wants babies or not. She needs to be mentally and physically sure about having progeny.
All said and done, once a mother, always a mother. With the women of today venturing out and wanting to have more, having the support of her partner/spouse is important. Having said that, the women of today are less emotional and have strong will power to leave their young kids in the day cares and early childhood centers, while they go out and work and fulfil their dreams. They know what they want and are clear in their heads on their requirements from their life. It is said that “an entire village is required to raise a child”, in today’s world, day cares, day homes, play schools etc. a metaphors for the village. Moreover, financial independence has allowed women of today to be able to make use the best of things for their children.
Getting the various perspectives from a variety of people about their take on new age women, has helped in understanding the new age women. There have been a lot of changes with women choosing to step out and testing and tasting the forbidden fruit of freedom, emotional, financial, physical and social. This has allowed women to bring up their children on their own with minimal support. Men have also had a change in their attitude towards women. Women have started to respect themselves and men are reciprocating this respect as they are gradually realizing that women deserve it. Apart from playing the various roles of a mother, daughter, sister, wife, mistress, lover, the new women are individuals also, who can think and execute, can multitask, smile and spread warmth around themselves, in which others can bask and feel nurtured.
PS: My heartfelt thanks to all my friends and family who have come out so strongly about their views on “The new age women”. Without their responses, this article wouldn’t have been written and it wouldn’t have had the credibility it has now.