| Women are stressed.
We’ve been hearing about this for a while now, of course. The pandemic era gave rise to story after story of female anxiety, depression, and burnout as women disproportionately sought to juggle the exponentially increasing demands of work and family.
The New York Times opened up a venting hotline for working parents, which resulted in an article series quite literally titled “The Primal Scream: America's Mothers Are In Crisis.” Simultaneously, studies revealed that being a woman and being single were associated with higher levels of stress. And the pandemic’s ebb did not take all the stress with it. Women continue to face concerning levels of burnout and rising stress.
There is much to be said—and much to be done—about these troubling norms. But as we advocate for systemic changes, encourage special attention to female mental health, and pray for better days for the next generation of girls and women, what can we do for ourselves in the meantime?
Perhaps part of the answer is looking to the stories of women who understand our plight. We can start with Lucy Liu (not that Lucy Liu), a Christian woman in Beijing. Soon to be married, Liu says, “As a Chinese woman, I’m expected to sacrifice for my family and put my husband first. As a Christian woman, I want to live out my faith and not lose myself. I’m getting married soon, but I am not going to give myself up. I want to honor both God and family at the same time.”
Liu’s approach does not offer us a magic solution, nor does it sound particularly immune to stress. But perhaps, as we long for lighter loads, her wisdom gives us a hand to hold—one that squeezes gently, reminding us that we are not alone. |
