OPINION: Women don’t need to be told where to be

THE insinuation that working mothers are to blame for violent crime rates is ridiculous, offensive, and factually absurd.

A WOMAN'S place is wherever she wants to be.

I say this following a Letter to the Editor published in yesterday's edition, taking aim at women who dare reject the role of home-maker/carer. Read the letter here: READER'S VIEW: Stay-at-home mothers give better future

After much debate within the newsroom about whether the letter possessed enough merit to allow it to go to print, the (mostly female) newsroom decided it didn't, but recognised this sort of attitude was one most of us had encountered at some point.

This letter not only ignores the contributions women have made in the space outside of their uterus, but the responsibilities (and successes) of fathers in the raising of children.

The insinuation that working mothers (or, more broadly, the career aspirations of women) are to blame for violent crime rates is ridiculous, offensive, and factually absurd.

If there was ever actually a time when it was safe to walk home alone at night, I would be keen to know.

And if you want to point the finger of blame at the leading cause of the "coward's punch", look no further than the rigid gender roles the author of the letter is so desperate to cling to.

Ideas of hyper-masculinity, bred from a two-tiered system of gender, are much more harmful to the psychological wellbeing of future generations than little Billy being sent to daycare from 9am to 5pm.

Mothers are important and women who make the choice to stay at home should be respected. The author and I can agree on that.

But to ignore and even shame the many talents, personal aspirations, hopes and dreams of women outside of motherhood is fundamentally sexist.

Originally published as OPINION: Women don’t need to be told where to be