When I read in a UK daily newspaper
that divorced people and especially divorced women still in this day and age
feel ashamed of the fact that they are divorced and that many of them prefer
not to tell friends and acquaintances right away that they had ended their
marriage and that it takes divorced women - especially - at least four years to
get their lives back on track and for them to feel some normality in their
lives again I was genuinely surprised! If I had read this about a conservative
traditional religious country like the one I’m originally from (Kuwait) I would
have easily believed it, but in a country as forward, as diverse and as liberal
as the UK, I truly didn’t expect divorce to still constitute such a social
stigma. However, in contrast to the above there is another small but evident social
movement led by single mothers; I’ve noticed on many occasions whilst attending
talks, seminars or even personal development courses women saying out loud that
they are single mothers, but this statement was not spoken in a stigmatized,
apologetic, disadvantaged manner, but in a manner that reinforces power, to prove
strength, ambition, courage and endurance. When these women were asking
questions or acquiring more information from seminar speakers or trainers they
were starting their statements with “as a single mother I have a lot on my hands
but..” or “as a single mother I need to be extra organized..” or “because I’m a
single mother I always make sure that..” these women have a sense of pride in
their single-motherhood they acknowledge their own strengths and sense of
accomplishment and flaunt this not expecting sympathy or special treatment but demanding
admiration and respect. As a divorced single mother myself I find this
inspiring and empowering, it might not be a widely spread movement getting a
lot of media attention, but a quiet assertive revolution for women.
