A lot of questions but only one answer

There is a question that I always hear. Are men and women equal? As Muslims we know the answer to this question which is yes they are equal and we keep repeating that all the time but still there are a lot of differences between men and women in our communities and still it is a controversial issue.
All the other issues (like the women having jobs) come from this issue (the equality between men and women). In the last class there was a very hot discussion about the women having jobs, is it ok or not, is it necessary or not. In fact I was asking my self why all these questions are put when it comes to the women having jobs? Why aren’t these questions raised about men? What is so different about having women a job? And these questions have led me into one big question: why do we need to have jobs?????

I know the answer that jumps to anyone’s mind after hearing this question: of course we work to get money so we can afford living and buying the simple needs in life. But I hear another answer from women more often which is: we need to have jobs for selfsame fulfillment that means to realize our goals and dreams in life, like it is the main purpose of their getting a job. What about money? I know that most men have jobs to afford better life. I am with the equality between men and women but I think it is not a good argument when you justify the necessity of having jobs by saying it is to realize my goals, because you can realize your goals in many ways, I have seen people who realized their goals by making great services to their communities, I have seen people who realized their goals by learning and discovering and inventing things that served the humanity after they died. What I want to say that we can sit down and argue about women’s right to work or we can do our best to achieve and serve our country. “Work” doesn’t mean to get a full time job, it means to try to change something in the community or even in the world, and this is exactly how someone can fulfill and attain his/her goals and dreams in life. I know that a lot of women can’t get a job because of the traditions but I also know that women, whether they get a job or not, have the right to “WORK”, as humans we all share this right. At least this is my opinion.

Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.

Erica Jong