Letter from the Editor: In the Boardroom & Playing in Forts

On International Women’s Day, I was waiting in the school pick-up line on my way home from an Annapolis Moms Media staff meeting. I heard a promo spot on a popular radio station for International Women’s Day: “From the woman who runs the boardroom to the mom building forts at home – we see you.”

My first reaction – Oh cool, good for them, much respect to them for celebrating.

My second reaction – What if you’re both?

The irony is not lost on me that I was literally in-between my work and home worlds when I heard this promo spot. And I will say–it was a very nice program on this radio station; they had women employees on air who usually work behind the scenes, giving them the credit they deserve. They featured songs by women artists, and the DJs talked about inspiring women in their lives (yes, it was a long pick-up line!)

But the promo called out what so many women are dealing with – you can be this one over here in the boardroom OR you can be the other one over here, the mom playing in the fort. You can’t be both. These are on opposite ends.

Dr. Becky teaches us that “Two things are true.” Women can be in the boardroom AND play in forts (and, due to the miracle of Zoom, possibly at the same time.) Women can be professionally powerful AND present parents.

At the Annapolis Moms staff meeting, we discussed how this day was probably not mentioned at all when our own mothers were growing up. So it’s nice that people wished us Happy International Women’s Day everywhere we turned last Friday.

But as we move forward, onwards and upwards, I hope we can continue to recognize the amazing capability of women to adapt and engage in many spheres of life. I hope we continue to support them in doing so, not just in radio promo spots, but in legislation and company policies.

There are no limits to what we can do.

For all the women running the show in so many ways– Happy (belated) International Women’s Day. We see you. We see all of you.