In 2016, a group of local leaders gathered for a panel discussion at one of many Denver Institute events centered around women and work.
The discussion calls to mind a quote from “A Women’s Place” by Katelyn Beaty reflected the spirit that the panelists encouraged women take with them in their daily tasks, no matter their current work season:
“Female-ness doesn’t dictate what they do for work. Rather, it adds one more dazzling dimension to how they do that work.”
For women who often feel a tension between their work and family roles, or for men who are looking to support the women in their life, the discussion offers excellent perspective on the expectations we hold around women and work, and how we might begin to shift that narrative.
Speaking on the panel was Jill Hamilton, communications consultant; Ali Horst, City Church Denver; Kate Redden, Ronald Blue & Company; and host Joanna Meyer, Denver Institute for Faith and Work.
Questions to Consider
1. As a male or female, how have you experienced tension between your roles in work, family, ministry and friendship? What rules or wisdom do you consult when there is tension between those roles?
2. What are the personal and cultural implications of your work in your current season of life? How do you see your work affecting the organization you are a part of, the coworkers you partner with, and the goods and services that are produced as a result of your efforts?
3. How might the cultural implications of your work change in a season of staying home with children, giving care to an elderly relative, or serving in other unpaid roles?