In case you didn’t notice my new blog banner, allow me to draw your attention to it for a minute. Go ahead. Take a gander. I mulled over my new blog tagline for–literally–months. While I don’t love the ring to “Ambitious and Traditional,” it really does sum up who I am and who I am working to serve.
When I started following other financial bloggers, I noticed a strong recurring theme–they’re all flaming liberals.
While I certainly don’t want to demonize anyone who thinks differently than me, I also know that a political outlook is going to shine forth when it comes to financial dealings. I agree with a lot of what they have to say and have recommended them to many people… But I also know that there is a major need for someone who maybe doesn’t quite identify with the feminist movement completely but yet knows she will be a self-made millionaire some day very soon.
Enter you, my fellow traditional and ambitious lady.
In many conservative circles, ambition in women is viewed as an inherent evil.
As a result, many women find themselves in their 30s or 40s, without a husband’s salary to support them. They’re also certainly without a home to build equity with as well as a retirement account.
To put it gently, this is bullshit.
There is nothing that fires me up more than seeing young women move here to DC to make $40,000 a year in a dead-end, mission-based job, essentially waiting for a rich man to come sweep them off their feet. Oh, and they’re often strapped with thousands of dollars in student loan debt. While finding Mr. Rich Right does happen from time to time, those who aren’t so fortunate are left in a terrible financial position.
We’re better than that, girls!
I’m making it my personal mission to debunk the mind-numbingly stupid notion that earning a strong income and being traditionally-minded are mutually exclusive. You can love baking cookies AND get a huge high when that fat commission check hits your account. You can expect a man to call first AND negotiate a high salary. And, yes, you can aspire to being a SAHM while focusing on the here and now of your financial life.
Valuing financial independence doesn’t have to mean hating men, but it does mean being able to challenge them when necessary.
One major issue I have with the more left-leaning financial bloggers is that they have a tendency to demonize men in the name of feminism. I happen to love most men. I have also been profiled for being a woman in the workplace. This made me realize that blind obedience to men just because they’re men isn’t kosher in my book either. Awareness that there are still men who believe a woman’s place is in the home and having the savviness to stand up to them is essential to any professional woman today. However, the realization that most men can be amazing cheerleaders and love to see the ladies in their lives succeed is important as well. They’re not all evil. In fact, most of them aren’t.
I have plenty more to say about this and I will in coming posts. In the meantime, I would love to know your thoughts on this matter. Do conservative women have it all wrong? What have you seen as well?
Happy new week, friends!
