This archive report was first published on 14 September 2019.
As I sat in a business meeting recently, I was asked a question that has become all too familiar: 'Are you married?'
While I've been asked this question many times before, I've come to realize that it's not only rude and intrusive but also a reflection of societal expectations that a woman's worth is tied to her relationship status.
But why should it matter if I'm married or not? Shouldn't my life experience and accomplishments be enough to define me, rather than my marital status?
According to a woman who sat me down a few years ago, my experience of womanhood is somehow diminished because I haven't lived all of it. But what does that even mean? Is it not enough that I've built relationships, pursued my passions, and achieved my goals?
It's time to stop asking intrusive questions and start asking what we really want to know. Instead of wondering whether someone is married, ask them if they'll be available to work long hours or if there's someone who can guarantee them for a loan.
Let's redefine what it means to be a woman and stop reducing our life experiences to whether we're coupled up or not.
As I was in a meeting this week, I asked my potential business associate why he needed to know my marital status. His response was telling: he was just trying to find out something else.
So, let's ask the right questions. Let's stop being nosy and start being curious. And let's remember that a woman's worth is not defined by her marital status, but by her life experience and accomplishments.
