Tribulations of the Working Woman – An Unexpected Consequence

The Feminist ideology dictates that women should take up full-time jobs in accordance to their doctrine of equality while despising the position of a housewife, who is seen as a “slave” to the husband. This, they believe, is one way to end the “injustices” or “sufferings” of women. It should be noted that a poor woman can work when no one supports her – or when, as a wife, the husband’s income is not enough to carry the family. In this case she is a helper to her husband as God ordained in the book of Genesis 2:18. This is quite different from the erroneous view of a housewife, being a slave to the husband. Hence, abandoning her natural position at home and taking up full-time jobs just like the man will be an “elevation” from a slave-girl to a Powerful Mistress – so they think.

Proud women who often embrace this false idea are quite shocked – on the long run – at the responsibilities they have to bear. The working wife undergoes great stress in combining her duties at home and at work. This often leads to a physical and mental break down. Added to this problem is the exploitation of women by unscrupulous employers – a problem these feminists never foresaw. Exploitation of the working woman by unscrupulous employers is at a very high rate and it is almost inevitable considering the nature of a woman. Rev. L. McKenna S. J. gives an explanation: “Women are more at their employer’s mercy than men. They are more resigned to their misery than men. They have, wetness compared with men, little taste or talent for agitation and organization. They are more divided by class distinctions. They distrust each other more. More generous than men in every other respect, but in this they are more self-centred. They are more easily cowed by bullying, and more frightened by fear of the consequences of resistance. They have not the fighting spirit of men. Their very fidelity and family affection often increase their helplessness. If they have a little sister or brother, or aged parent or sick husband to support, they will suffer any privation, put up with any wretched pittance rather than jeopardise the interests of those dear to them. Besides, many of them looking on work as a temporary necessity from which they hope to be freed by marriage, do not go through any apprenticeship, or seriously qualify themselves by technical training in a skilled trade. For all these reasons they are almost quite unable to form Unions, the only efficacious defence of the labouring classes against exploitation. No wonder then that women’s work being left at the mercy of economic laws is wretchedly remunerated, and that the vast majority of the sweated industries are women’s industries.”

According to Pope Leo XIII: “A woman is best suited for home work. This it is which is best adapted to preserve her modesty and secure the good upbringing of the children and the well being of the family.”