Blog #32: Advancing in the Law

Parenting differs between men and women because of previous stereotypes. It differ when attached to a woman because they have the reputation of being the maternal figure and regardless of what their career is, they are forced into the category of mother. Fathers have the reputation of being able to work to support their families. They are the bread winners, and it is acceptable if a father only sees his children for a few minutes before their bedtime because he has been at work all day. Parenthood means two completely different things when comparing mother and father. This stereotype really can impact the choices that mother’s who happen to be lawyers because they are seen as only a mother, and they are questioning whether their children or their career is most important. Unfortunately, other working mothers are not forced to make the choice because they have a relatively low stress level job and work normal hours. Working 80+ hours a week can take a toll on a mother, especially if you are still expected to come home, cook dinner and clean the house to provide for your family.

High powered female lawyers are often some of the most intimidating women in the world. They always put their job first and are often called “work-a- holics”. Obviously, their job is extremely important to them and in turn they are often questioned as a mother. They have worked extremely hard and beat so many speed bumps along the way to become a person of authority in the legal field that it would be hard to give that up for your family. When they try to do both, they are criticized about not being a good enough mother because they work too much. They might not be able to devote as much time to their family as another working mother but it shouldn’t discredit how much they love and support their family.