Let us begin the discussion from the past, say about two generations back, from the time our grand mothers were running their homes. By running their homes, I mean mentally and physically because the financial reins of the house were entrusted upon the men in the family. Man being the only earning member of the family, happily or miserably took care of all the financial needs of his family members. The women of the house looked up to the men for any need that involved money. And the women in my family, from that era, were quite happy following the same because that was how it was supposed to be. Only when a male member of the family was not able to earn a living did the women step out to support the family and that too came with a lot of restrictions.
Then came the next generation i.e. my mother’s generation. A majority of households still had men as the only earning member of a family. As earlier, a woman was still happy and satisfied playing the role of a housewife. If the husband deceived her, died early or in case of any other situation, the wife had no choice but to rely either on her kids or her extended family for both emotional and financial support.
In comparison to this majority, there existed a minority of women who were working and were happy being financially independent. They proudly shared the financial responsibilities of the house with their husbands. Some people loathed them but there were many others who felt proud and motivated seeing them. These working women were considered rebels by some people in the society but there was no stopping their independence and the same feeling they passed on to the next generation.
Being financially independent is considered a boon for women. With the growing number of extra marital affairs and divorces, it is important for a woman to keep money matters in her own hands. Financial independence helps a woman to rely on herself and support her decisions. When women earn for themselves, they are immediately more in control of their lives. This is relevant to both, women from low income groups as well as from affluent families.
Financial independence is especially important for women who live in abusive households. It has been reported that more than 70% women in India face some form of domestic violence. One form of conducting this violence is through ‘controlling the woman’ i.e. restricting finances. Women who are not independent have no choice but to live on in that abusive atmosphere.
Financially independent women are capable of taking their own decisions and don’t have to depend on anybody. This increases their self respect and makes them more confident to face any kind of situation in life.
Hence, it is important for all women – married, single, separated, widowed or divorced to be financially independent. Indian women are showing the world what it is like to be financially independent. Men are also willing to accept them in this new role. We women these days are educated, confident and independent. The time when a woman’s job was only to take care of her home and family is passé. The men in the society and the world have started seeing women as equal and stronger counterparts. Even though the past was not very promising for women, the present situation has changed and we can only hope that the future is bright and shining for the coming generations.
About the author:
Anuradha Kapoor – a freelance author, blogger, content writer, script writer, editor and proof reader. I am one of the top bloggers on mycity4kids and have written blogs for various brands for them. For eg. Dabur Chywanprash, Surf Excel, Mirinda, Quaker Oats, HP Printers etc. I recently published my first ebook on Amazon, titled ‘Love Conquers All’. I have written short stories and episode stories for the ‘Potboiler App’. Hope to keep you all entertained through my stories and blogs.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
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