Power of words: “Working Mum”? How to talk about women and their work

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Women and work, how do you talk about it today?

There are lots of “power women” and “working mums”, led by the “girl boss”.

And it is precisely this rhetoric that is used to talk about women and their work - be it at home with children and household or paid employment - was the topic of the live podcast “The Real Word”, which was presented at the “Better Future Conference “Was recorded by WELT AM SONNTAG and can now be heard.

In the “honest podcast”, the subtitle of the format, which appears weekly and is openly devoted to issues of modern life, we discussed with Marie Nasemann how language creates and shapes reality.

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Nasemann, who became known as a model but is now also active as an actress, author and fair fashion activist, recently pointed out in an Instagram post how often she encountered “toxic” formulations: “It's the little moments in which I notice how far we are from parents looking after their children on an equal footing.

For example, when I say at a job that I have a six-month-old son, the question often comes up: 'Ah, crazy and where is he now?' "

Marie Nasemann became a mother this year, her partner on parental leave

Source: Philipp Nürnberger

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Such questions suggest that “it is the mother's job to do everything on her own and that fathers are useless for anything that has to do with children or the household.

Both are nonsense and toxic, and we should try to break the habit of both of these in our daily use of language, ”said the 31-year-old.

Which formulations would you also like to use more sensitively - and further findings from the live conversation:

From “power woman” to “girl boss”: Does the business rhetoric, which has established itself primarily in social networks, encourage women on their career path?

This question was initially put to the public for a vote.

A third of the respondents attested that “female empowerment” rhetoric was definitely helpful - two thirds, however, saw it very differently.

Marie Nasemann cannot do much with such formulations either: “We should talk much more normally about women at work: A woman who sits on the board and has three children is simply a woman.

It doesn't need a special label. "

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However, in the digital network culture there is often talk of visibility, which is considered to be the greatest asset in the modern working world and which can of course be generated using thematically clear terms.

So does the #Girlboss have an important role to play after all?

“Perhaps temporarily,” says Nasemann, “until we have arrived in a reality in which we no longer need these terms.

We have to think about the future: what is the goal?

The goal in our society must be that it is completely normal for mothers to work - and that they are not categorized as 'Working Mom'. "

Don't women want to be called “power women” and “strong”?

"I'm here with a very clear no," says Nasemann.

She understands the good idea behind it, but also says: "That implies that all women who are not superwomen according to this definition have no power." To portray a "strong" woman as a deviation from the norm is the wrong one Approach.

The “working mum” also creates a false image: “Even a mother who does not have a traditional job does work.”

In fact, unpaid work is often perceived less as “real work” - an outdated approach for Nasemann.

“My friend worked in a large law firm, is now on parental leave and finds his current work with the child so much more exhausting.” So she asks: “Can't we just talk about mothers and fathers?

Yes, in addition to being a mother, I have a job and other passions, but I don't need a name for it.

It should just be something normal that I still have a job as a mother. "

The term “women's quota” tends to have a negative connotation.

How do I handle this?

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By continuing to fight for them: Marie Nasemann is working with other prominent women for a binding women's quota, has launched the #ichwill campaign - and of course has to deal regularly with criticism of the quota concept: “First thing always comes : As a woman, you don't want to reach the top through a quota, but through performance!

I had that opinion for a long time.

In 2011, German industry voluntarily committed itself to bringing more women to German board members.

But the proportion has even decreased.

So the quota is needed, especially to support women's performance.

Because you also have to overcome psychological mechanisms - such as the fact that people are more likely to hire people who are similar to them in terms of gender, age or origin.

So men are more likely to promote men, so the quota takes effect. "

What about men: Are they also victims of unfair formulations and ascriptions?

Equality means fairness.

Therefore, at the end of the talk, the focus was also on the men: What role clichés are being imposed on them?

"For example, fathers are often not even trusted to be able to spend time with their children," says Nasemann.

“In advertising or on television, for example, we constantly see fathers who are completely overwhelmed with their children.

Then the laundry goes in or the food overcooks. ”The image of the chaotic father who can't manage anything outside of his job is still buzzing through people's heads.

No wonder that men who also do their share of care work are sometimes showered with compliments: "It is normal for me to work and look after a baby," says Nasemann.

"My friend, on the other hand, is seen by many as a father."

Our weekly podcast THE REAL WORD deals with the important big and small questions in life: What do breast selfies have to do with feminism?

How does the long-term relationship stay happy?

And what can you learn from the TV bachelorette?

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