Why are women allowing the media and the political parties to pit working women and stay-at-home-moms against each other?

Don't we realized that generations of our sisters fought for our right to choose? There was a time women were not allowed to vote (before 1920). There was a time that we were not allowed to attend college (early 1800s). There was a time we could not obtain credit in our own name (before 1974). There was a time that it was completely legal to pay women less for the same job a man was doing (before 1963) - although we are still fighting for pay equity across the board.

Generations of women fought for the rights of this generation of women to have the right to choose if, when, where and how they work or if, when, where and how they stay at home to raise their families.

As a woman, growing up in the 50s, my goal was to become a wife and mother. The best years of my life were spent raising my son. I would have had twelve children if it were possible, but it didn't happen. Once my son went off to school to do his job, I wanted to find a job - later a career of my own.

Stay-at-home moms raise families, volunteer in the community, act as chauffeur, nurse, scheduler, fixer-upper, maintenance, cook, launderer, and all around neighborhood watch. They are role models to girls and boys and contribute to our society in more ways that I can list here.

Ask yourself why any woman would say anything against the choice that stay-at-home moms make?

More than 50% of America's workforce is female -- working women. Some of them are single. Some of them are married. Some of them are married with children. Some of them choose to work. Some of them have no choice BUT to work. Everyone of them has been given this choice because previous generations of women fought for it. There was a time after World War I, for example, that women who wanted to work were told they couldn't. All jobs were offered only to men coming home from war.

Today, women are starting 2 out of every 3 new businesses in the country -- women entrepreneurs. Many of them are choosing to start businesses so they can balance work and family. Many other women, who don't have the resources to make this choice work one, two or three jobs just to make ends meet in a difficult economy.

Yes, a majority of women in this generation work and in the future the percentage of women who work will increase as our government is behind the rest of the world in supporting families. (A discussion for another blog).

Ask yourself why any woman would say anything against the choice working women make?

The media and both political parties gain when women lash out at each other. Women are the majority in this country - 52% of the population. Can you imagine if we worked together, supported each other and told the media we weren't going to buy into their divisiveness for one more day? No more ridiculing each other for what we look like, what choices we make, how we live our lives. Men don't do it---guess who controls the media? And, the political parties---what has either party really done for women?

Sister, and I do mean sister---it is up to us to support each other and work together. If 52% of the population got together and discuss what's best for women I know that we could work it out and come to a reasonable decision.

Working women, working moms, stay at home moms, stay at home women - I love you all and I will fight for your right to make whatever choice is right for you.

Vicki is athor of HER TURN Why It's Time For Women To Lead In America http://www.amazon.com/Her-Turn-Time-Women-America/dp/0275999246