In 1929 Virginia Woolf posited that in order for a woman to be a successful writer she needed money and a room of her own - both literally and figuratively. I wonder if she could imagine what women's lives are like today. As I discussed Women's History Month (which began in 1978 as Women's History Week in Sonoma County, CA, and grew to nationally recognized Women's History Month in 1987) with my students, I pondered all the ways in which I have been granted a room of my own.
Unlike Woolf, who was denied a formal education because of her sex (Her dad only believed in educating his sons.), I have had the opportunity to earn two college degrees and then some. While only privileged women from progressive families attended college just 80 some years ago, by 2004 women earned 58% of bachelor's degrees in America (which shows a drastic increase from the 35% figure of 1960). Woolf contended that having an excellent education was a pathway for women to become successful members of society. The years I spent in college provide wonderful memories of fun, but also of thought-provoking discussions and honest constructive criticism. Without a doubt, my life has been enriched and empowered through education which has opened doors to rooms I didn't even know existed when I was young.
Another of Woolf's basic tenets is independence. Although happily married for 17 years (with a kid, a mortgage, and too many pets counting on me), I still feel a sense of independence because I could walk away from any of it. This is not to say I long to be unattached to my responsibilities; it is simply a fact. Today, women have the right and the means to leave whomever or whatever they wish - a thought that might have been foreign to our sisters just a hundred years ago. In one sense, having a good job, being able to make touch decisions, learning to live with the consequences - all the joys and sorrows independence brings - is the best room of my own, since it can never be taken away.
In a literal (and a literary) sense, another important room is my office. (Yes, Jeff and I just combined our spaces, but only to create a craft room completely devoted to my follies and whims, which means I actually have a room-and-a-half -- something I'm sure dear Virginia would envy.) Even in half an office, the space is totally mine complete with note boards and doodle art, an executive chair and laptop, favorite books and colorful stationery. Each of these little things provides a sense of comfort and purpose that allows me to concentrate on filling blank pages before me.
While I recognize that many women still do not receive equal pay for equal work and that a corporate and political glass ceiling exists, I'm thankful for strides taken by women during every decade of the 20th century and those who continue to work for equality. While we - as women and society as a whole - have paid a price for our daring, the benefits far out weigh the cost.
Unlike Woolf, who was denied a formal education because of her sex (Her dad only believed in educating his sons.), I have had the opportunity to earn two college degrees and then some. While only privileged women from progressive families attended college just 80 some years ago, by 2004 women earned 58% of bachelor's degrees in America (which shows a drastic increase from the 35% figure of 1960). Woolf contended that having an excellent education was a pathway for women to become successful members of society. The years I spent in college provide wonderful memories of fun, but also of thought-provoking discussions and honest constructive criticism. Without a doubt, my life has been enriched and empowered through education which has opened doors to rooms I didn't even know existed when I was young.
Another of Woolf's basic tenets is independence. Although happily married for 17 years (with a kid, a mortgage, and too many pets counting on me), I still feel a sense of independence because I could walk away from any of it. This is not to say I long to be unattached to my responsibilities; it is simply a fact. Today, women have the right and the means to leave whomever or whatever they wish - a thought that might have been foreign to our sisters just a hundred years ago. In one sense, having a good job, being able to make touch decisions, learning to live with the consequences - all the joys and sorrows independence brings - is the best room of my own, since it can never be taken away.
In a literal (and a literary) sense, another important room is my office. (Yes, Jeff and I just combined our spaces, but only to create a craft room completely devoted to my follies and whims, which means I actually have a room-and-a-half -- something I'm sure dear Virginia would envy.) Even in half an office, the space is totally mine complete with note boards and doodle art, an executive chair and laptop, favorite books and colorful stationery. Each of these little things provides a sense of comfort and purpose that allows me to concentrate on filling blank pages before me.
While I recognize that many women still do not receive equal pay for equal work and that a corporate and political glass ceiling exists, I'm thankful for strides taken by women during every decade of the 20th century and those who continue to work for equality. While we - as women and society as a whole - have paid a price for our daring, the benefits far out weigh the cost.
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