"Feminism is obsolete! Women's emancipation is basically complete," I declared to my mother as a know-it-all teenager. Looking back, I was incredibly naive. Now, as a working mother of three, that realization struck hard when I landed a five-day research trip abroad to write tourism articles. After years working from home—always available for school pickups or sick days—this felt like a major leap. But why not seize it? Men do it all the time on business trips.
Yet, it wasn't that simple, especially for me. Despite my excitement, waves of guilt hit: Was it right for a wife and mother to leave home and hearth? Apparently, my own emancipation wasn't as advanced as I'd believed.
Thankfully, my supportive husband, family, and friends encouraged me to go. Still, my prep went beyond packing: I shared the news gently with the kids, created phone lists, countdown calendars, and schedules for who’d be home while I was away. People kept asking, "How do you manage your family? What does your husband think?" The trip wasn't celebrated as a hard-earned assignment but a 'nice little getaway.' How often do men face those questions?
I have to admit, it was rewarding. I thrived seeing new places, turning impressions into articles, feeling fully in my element—if only briefly. Of course, I missed my family and cherished returning home.
Back home, I learned one child had cried at school from missing me. It broke my heart. Soon, another trip arose, but my husband and I agreed it was too soon. I'd never tell him, "Skip it—your family needs you!" This sparked reflection on my teenage claims. Is women's emancipation truly complete, or is it acceptable only if you're home by dinnertime? The debate on gender equality rages on.
By Sandra van Bijsterveld
