As far back as I can remember, all the women in my family had jobs outside the home. Maybe this is one of many reasons why it was never a question for me whether or not I’d return to work after having each of my kids. Not only was it a necessity, since I'm raising a family in New York City (one of the most expenses places to live), but I was was fortunate to find passion and purpose in my work and wanted to continue to be fulfilled by it. Becoming a mom only cemented my desire to keep growing professionally. I wanted to do great work and for my children to be proud of me for it. I didn’t even consider choosing between work and family; being a working a mom was the only choice that made sense to me. And I think that's the thing that made it a feminist choice for me also.
I can’t imagine me off-ramping from my career to solely run my household (though I am in awe of those women who know that's what they want and go after it with gusto). Even though it is utterly impossible to work full-time and keep things at home humming along without a hiccup, I can’t be true to myself in any other way. Humans are complex, contradictory beings. I never felt I was easily labeled. Why can’t I be both a mother and a producer? Especially if my husband, by way of the simple fact that he's a man, was unquestionably expected to be able to pull it off.
Every woman makes the best choice for her and her family, and feminism means we support one another’s decisions, even if they don't reflect what we would want for ourselves. These are some reasons why being a working mom is a feminist choice… for me.