by Janine Culotta

Created on: July 08, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

In a day and age when women are losing their choice to stay at home, and still maintain their personal dignity, I say yes. Feminism has created a situation, whereby, women who choose to stay at home and take care of their families,and themselves, are considered irrelevant, by many. I have even read one writer say, "it is a luxury to stay home in this day and age". This could be true for some, however,it may not be true for all. In fact, this writer believes that it is considered a luxury to walk out the door in the morning and let your family "figure it out".

I do believe a bias exists against stay at home mothers (SAHMs) due to their lack of economic buying power, corporate networking, and power lunching. Many women who work outside of the home scoff at the women who choose to stay home and work. Having done both, I can tell you that staying at home is not a duck walk. Many working women who have not done both believe that because a woman is at home organizing, cleaning, cooking, caring, and shopping for necessities, that they are slacking. This could not be further from the case. SAHMS are busy making the world a better place for their families (old and young), neighborhoods, communities, and states.

Without the important job of the SAHM, I believe this world would fall apart, yet many organizations fail to recognize the tremendous contribution these women make on behalf of, not only their families, but their country, as well. Government leadership should acknowledge and promote women serving their families, and thereby serving this country, as the true heroines that they are.They are doing volunteer work which is needed desparately, by a crumbling society. However, this will never happen. Why? Because many working women in high places are not likely to acknowledge that fact and men would be called sexist.Feminist want women to better themselves and earn their own money, chip in their "share". However, they already do their fair share and stressing women further is making families more unstable.

Society has mandated that women work outside the home. This is unfortunate for millions of kids who need to have access to one or more parents,at any giving time.Another issue is that there is a misconception that most SAHMs have affluent households, let me suggest to you that is not the case. Rather, many stay at home moms have reduced their standard of living so that they can be available to enrich and cherish the growth of their children, as well as, those of the neighborhoods' children,. Witnessing the growth and well being of a new generation is payment enough and knowing that they have done their best in training great people is their contribution to a better world.

The question remains is there bias against stay at home mothers? While many SAHMs make a conscious choice to stay INVOLVED by staying at home, making tremendous sacrifices, both financially and socially, they are left vulnerable in their lack of professional and personal power. Although, they are doing consistent community service, they are overlooked as "unqualified" on many levels. The women in the marketplace earning their way through life are considered most tenured and held in higher esteem, due to their work experience and stature.

Professional people may feel bias against women who work at home,believing that they are unskilled, disenfranchised, and/or not deserving of equal rights and respect.I do believe this creates an unfortunte bias against those women(and their children)choosing to raise their families full-time, knowing full well that it is what is needed in order to maintain and ensure that the next generation has the best chance to succeed.

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