The economy is feminine, although it seems that money is still mens’ business.
Even though folk sayings speak of how “a woman holds three pillars of the house,” global practice confirms that the fourth pillar, supposedly held by a man, actually symbolizes the economy and finances.
It’s easy to verify that in formal government roles worldwide, men outnumber women in finance and economics. Understanding the reasons for this is more challenging, but social norms and perceptions are certainly among those reasons.
Economics is relentless, often incomprehensible to many, yet inevitable
At first glance, even with just a superficial analysis of public narratives or media content, it’s clear that women are not expected to understand money, finances, or the economy. It’s enough for them to spend, save, or modestly hesitate to talk about money.
When discussing rights, empowerment, or gender equality, among many topics, the economy is at the bottom of the priority list.
When we talk about “business” women, we allow comments about balancing various responsibilities, ethics, and sensibility, but in reality, we prefer the fashion and social dimension of those comments. When it comes to protecting women’s rights, unfortunately, the focus is still on protecting basic rights and violence prevention.
Social norms are challenging to change, especially if there is no interest or desire for such change.
This text doesn’t have grand ambitions, except to list a few arguments about the importance of feminine economic literacy.
In other words, why is it better for everyone—men, children, countries, and companies—when women earn more?
Story One: Once upon a time, there was Sanja, young and beautiful, educated and capable.
Sanja was expected to give birth, defend her doctorate, and accept unwanted male compliments.
She earned enough not to have to accept dubious business opportunities that hid unwanted offers of another kind. She didn’t have to accept her male colleagues addressing her with the patronizing nickname “Sanjica” as if it seemed inappropriate.
She earned enough not to have to work to exhaustion and jeopardize her health.
She had enough time to read, write, publish, and contribute in the way that suited her best.
Therefore, it was pleasant to work with her, and everything she did was brilliant, useful, and authentic.
She earned enough to afford quality help, both at home and at work.
She earned enough to spend, thereby enabling other women, men, and companies to earn.
Her husband was happy because the household income was higher.
Sanja’s son was happy because he wasn’t raised under the pressure of being solely responsible for income in his future marriage.
Sanja’s daughter was proud and had a good role model—she knew she was worth learning, educating herself, and seeking better opportunities.
Sanja earned enough because she didn’t accept blackmail or cheaply paid engagements. She worked with clients who appreciated her contribution. Her work produced results, and she could charge an appropriate fee without a lump in her throat.
Story Two: Once upon a time, there was Mina, always well-groomed and kind.
Mina was an assistant in an accounting service and an excellent pastry chef. When she lost her job, with too much experience and not enough interest in starting her own accounting service, she decided to turn her hobby into a source of income. She learned, on both free and paid courses, how to use digital tools and channels to promote her offer.
Friends and content customers recommended her, and she soon began making a respectable living. She could buy the highest-quality ingredients and charge an appropriate price. She could afford the best collaborators, expand her business, and diversify her offerings.
She earned enough to pay for additional promotions and attract new clients and customers.
She could refuse clients who always sought something cheaper. She could offer free help to other women who wanted to turn their hobby into a source of income. She earned enough to always stay well-groomed and kind.
Story Three: Once upon a time, there was Ana, beautiful and popular.
Ana was an experienced commentator and influencer, often seen in the media and on social networks.
She enjoyed being on television, writing comments, and answering many questions in media interviews.
Friends knew that Ana liked to enjoy life, gladly “ironed” her credit card, and traveled to exotic destinations.
Many brands happily sponsored her posts, and she accepted all offers, no matter how well paid. She said that “it’s not all about money,” yet she knew she would always have a man by her side to pay the bills. This was true throughout her life, even though her relationships didn’t last long. One was the father of her daughter, who never paid child support. Another was handsome and resourceful but ended up in jail. The third was violent, and she barely managed to get rid of him. The fourth was perfect, but she fell in love with someone else.
Ana couldn’t refuse any client because the credit card interest was unforgiving—the principal debt never decreased regardless of regular payments.
Ana didn’t know how to charge a higher price to anyone because she feared that, in that case, no one would hire her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t know about money, and she wasn’t interested in economics. What’s worse, due to her popularity, everyone thought she earned well, and she was expected to spend a lot and buy expensive things.
All three stories contain hundreds of small stories of women we all know.
Fortunately, knowledge is now available with just two clicks, and some lessons can be learned from messages to “younger selves.”
Changing social norms will still take more time, but even the journey around the world begins with the first step.
I believe that a step can be feminine, elegant, and powerful.
If you agree, let me know. I am looking forward to working with you!