The super heroine, Wonder Woman was first featured in DC Comics in the early 1940’s!
Wonder Woman was a member of an all-female tribe of Amazons (based on the Amazons of Greek mythology) who was created by Dr. William Moulton Marston as a “distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to ‘a world torn by the hatred of men.’”
Her powers included super strength, super speed, stamina, and flight. She often used her Lasso of Truth (which forces those bound by it to tell the truth), a pair of indestructible bracelets, and an invisible plane, which was later replaced with an ability to fly unaided.
Lynda Carter made the Wonder Woman character a household name in the 1970’s,
about the same time that women were flooding into corporate America, and struggling to share the workspace with their ever-so-competent male counterparts.
Even with her super powers, the real life Wonder Woman was challenged to perform at levels she had previously never imagined.
The Wonder Woman cultural trend created the need for women to become mega-multi-taskers. Especially if they were moon-lighting as Moms, homemakers, lovers and community activists.
Alas, throughout the years, the term Wonder Woman has evolved into more of a badge of honor than an T.V. and comic strip super hero from the past.
Typical scenario:
She packed lunches and took the kids to school this morning, sped to her own job, barely making it on time, worked through lunch without eating, was forced to leave early (again!) to pick up one of the darlings from the sick couch in the school office, stopped by the grocery store to pick up food for dinner, picked up the remaining kids from sports and cheerleading practices, unpacked groceries, cooked dinner, washed dishes and answered questions that exceeded her math capabilities while switching laundry loads, ushered everyone through bath, brushing and bedtime stories, only to find herself exhausted, with an unfinished report due in the a.m. and a partner who wants to tell her what a tough day he had at the office, and how nice a backrub might be about now!
The “undoable” feats of the modern Wonder Woman are recognized, applauded and rewarded by our culture. The more she does, the more she’s worth!
Wonder Woman is tired. She desperately needs a break. She needs to know that doing “her best,” can only be achieved if she’s feeling “her best.”
When can she give herself permission to slow down and breathe?
When can she take a few things off of her plate (platter) and feel like she’s worthy of hers and others praise?
When?
number of view: 48
Click Here to Find Out More
I don’t know! This describes my daughter although she is a stay-at-home mom who home schools. Her husband has been laid off for almost a year (because he was a contract employee and not due to downsizing)yet she is still the one who ferries the kids, takes out the garbage, teaches the kids, and absolutely everything that needs to be done AND finds his glasses, wallet, keys, flashlights, important papers, etc. for her husband because he’s too busy doing???! She needs a rest! What she really needs a rest from is the stress of trying to be good enough for her husband. I think that applies to many, many women. If it isn’t the husband, it’s the boss or maybe both. Can’t wait to hear what you come up with next but I can tell you my daughter won’t leave her husband and the reason as she told me is, her kids don’t want to have to spend half their time with their dad taking care of themselves.
Sorry, Cassie. You probably didn’t need me ranting just now either.
Timaree, the beauty of this blog site is that it’s a safe place to rant! I understand just what you’re saying about your daughter, because when I look around, I see it everywhere! Maybe there’s another way your daughter to find freedom AND stay in the marriage.
Since we are truth-telling here, I will chime in with a few things.
This is so beautifully and perfectly written, Cass. The modern Wonder Woman is FULL of stress and that gives her even one more job to do – to try to control it.
It is my opinion that if there are two “partners” in a marriage or home, that it’s a fine idea to make it absolutely clear that they better each be carrying half the load – whatever the load is.
I have a wonderful husband who doesn’t like for me to have conniption fits. Because of this, he does a lot. But still, there are so many things that are assumed to be on my job list – just because I work at home. I am not afraid to lay down the law on this, though, and I do that periodically. We think if they don’t do it, we *have* to do it. But we don’t. It just takes a time or two of consequences, so he can see you really mean it, and the next time he won’t leave it all up to Wonder Woman.
And, speaking of carrying loads, I would *NEVER* do someone else’s laundry!! My husband is great at remembering that!