Do you do freelance work? Whether it’s being a freelance writer, a VA (virtual assistant), or a number of other freelance jobs, many women have opted for this line of work.
More than 53 Million Americans do some kind of freelance work. In 2016 two-thirds of freelancers were women. The number of women trying freelance work is growing all of the time, as more women see its appeal, and has surely grown in 2018.
This is fantastic.
It’s great for the economy, as a vast portion of these women probably wouldn’t be working at all without this option. It’s great for business, as women can bring a new creativity and focus, and it’s good for the women themselves, who are getting the chance to make a living working for themselves, doing something that they love. But, why are so many women taking on freelance work?
Let’s take a look…
Contents
Why More Women Are Turning to Freelance Work
Flexibility
More women today want to work once they’ve had children. Gone are the days where women were expected to stay at home. Now, women have a choice to make, and many of them enjoy having something away from the kids and their own responsibility.
They like earning their own money and helping out financially, and they love getting to use their brains and do something productive. But, the workplace isn’t always reflecting this change.
Workplaces still want their staff to be available all of the time. Unfortunately, not enough companies offer flexible working conditions, which can make it impossible for women to work.
A lot of women that take on freelance work do so because they’ve found returning to work difficult. Fortunately, freelance work gives them more options. They can work while the kids are at home or they can arrange childcare much more easily when they set their own hours. They can take some time off when their children are ill, or schedule their work around their family’s needs.
To Ease Mom Guilt
It’s not just flexibility that women struggle with. It’s guilt. They want to work, but feel horribly guilty about leaving their young children. Inversely, women that choose not to work and to stay at home with their children also feel guilty. They worry that they are putting their partners under pressure to earn more money and that they are not giving their daughters a positive female role model.
This guilt is unnecessary, as neither option is wrong. Both working moms and stay at home moms do their best for their families every day, and they have nothing to feel guilty about. But, they do. It’s one of the harder parts of motherhood.
Freelancing gives moms a welcome middle ground. They can work without feeling guilty about leaving their children. Even those that do choose to use childcare, do it on their own terms.
Options
Freelancing has so many career options. Women can earn money working in a vast variety of fields. They can become writers, photographers, marketing professionals, graphic designers, advertisers, web designers and so much more.
They can use a website builder to build a site to show off their portfolio, they can start a blog or an e-commerce store, or they can even do a combination of things. Try it out for yourself to see what you enjoy.
Earning Potential
It’s a sad truth that in 2017 women still earn considerably less than men in a massive number of professions. 54 Years after the equal pay act was passed and on average women make 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, yet around 60% of degrees are awarded to women.
Even female-dominated fields, such as teaching and social work show a disparity, as they often pay less than more male-focused sectors.
When you work as a freelancer, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman. A lot of your work may be done remotely, online from home. In many cases, you may not even meet the people that hire you. When you freelance, you are paid dependant on experience and quality of work. You can also set your own fees and charge what you feel you are worth.
It’s Feminist
Feminism isn’t about women being better than men or earning more than men. Nor is it about women proving themselves. It’s about equality. Feminism is about women getting the same chances and opportunities as men. But it’s also about them being able to make their own choices and go out and make things happen for themselves.
What could be more feminist than a woman setting up on their own, working from home, as a freelancer, doing something that they love? Setting their own hours, charging what they are worth and creating something for themselves, out of nothing.
Working as a freelancer is empowering, and it’s giving women all over the world the chance to change their fortunes. And freelance work allows them this chance.
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