'Society unkind to working moms'<\/p>\n
Every Dec. 22, the country celebrates Women's Day in recognition
\nof critical roles Indonesian women played during the struggle for
\nindependence. What has the role of Indonesian women been since
\nthe country declared independence in 1945? The Jakarta Post
\ninterviewed people in the capital on the issue.<\/p>\n
Fiona S. Hutapea, 30, is an employee at an advertising firm in
\nSouth Jakarta. She lives in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
If there's anything different about the lives of women today,
\nit's that having a career after marriage is approved of. I
\nsuppose the high cost of living nowadays demands it.<\/p>\n
But otherwise, it's just the same as before. Society hasn't
\nchanged a bit -- even with all the gender equality movements.
\nPrepare for snide hints of \"don't work too hard, remember your
\nage\", if you're approaching 30 and still single, as if we're
\nsupposed to allocate special time to find a husband. I mean,
\nwho's going to feed us in the meantime?<\/p>\n
And for the working moms, I suppose society's not kind on them
\neither. People here still believe that the husband is the
\nbreadwinner and everything else falls on the wife, you know.<\/p>\n
Ali Rahman, 41, is a taxi driver with Ratax taxis. He lives in
\nCipinang, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some women have no limits set on their education but it wasn't
\nalways like that. But among us poor people, when it comes to
\nchoosing which child goes to school and which stays home, it's
\nalways the girls who stay home and help their mothers.<\/p>\n
It's a shame, I know, but if you can't afford to educate all
\nyour children, then you are forced to choose.<\/p>\n
And girls have a better time of it by staying home and minding
\nthe house than the boys would. At least the girls can get married
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/society-unkind-to-working-moms-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }