Homemaker: Evolving definitions

Image courtesy: Pixabay

Decades ago, in our school and college days, the word "homemaker" wasn't very commonly used. We were more familiar with the word "housewife".

"Homemaker" was used as a formal and polite alternative to "housewife".

Recently, a judgment by the High Court of Karnataka gave the word "homemaker" a powerful, respectful, and a totally new dimension.

Before we get to that, a few dictionary definitions.

Merriam-Webster defines a homemaker as "one who manages a household especially as a spouse and parent".

The Cambridge Dictionary goes a step further adding an economic angle: a homemaker is "a person who manages a home and often raises children instead of earning money from a job".

According to Longman, especially American English, homemaker is a woman who works at home cleaning and cooking etc and does not have another job.

​Oxford Learner's Dictionaries also refers to the word as an American expression, and says, "homemaker is a person who manages a home and takes care of the house and family as their main job."

Collins says, "A homemaker is someone who spends a lot of time looking after their home and family. You usually use homemaker to refer to someone who does not have a job outside the home."

Wikipedia is quite clear, It says the word is primarily a North American and Canadian term used for a housewife, househusband, or stay-at-home mom or dad who manages day-to-day domestic operations.

The word has interesting origins. 

In 1861, homemaker was a man who landscaped and gardened his property. From1868, the word began to be identified with a woman who managed and took care of the home.

The underlying belief was quite clear; that a homemaker is someone, mostly a woman, who stays at home, does not earn a salary, and does not have a "professional" career.

NEW DIMENSIONS

The Karnataka High Court has given more dimensions to it. 

The case pertained to motor accident compensation case dating back to 2013. A woman, who held a Master’s degree in Biotechnology and had worked as a guest lecturer, was injured in a bus accident. 

Since she was not employed at the time of the accident, the transport corporation argued that because of her high educational qualifications, she could not be considered a "homemaker".

The High Court disagreed, and listed out three principles that redefine homemaking.

1. Education doesn't matter

The court ruled that every woman who cares for her family at home is a homemaker, regardless of her qualifications. Whether she holds a basic school degree, a postgraduate degree, or a doctorate, her contribution to the home remains invaluable. You do not have to be projected as uneducated to fit the role of a homemaker.

2. Professionals too can be homemakers

The court said a working professional is a homemaker as long as she renders services at home and looks after the welfare of her family. Homemaking and a professional career are not mutually exclusive — millions of people do both every single day.

3. The word is gender-neutral

Though the case pertained to a woman, a homemaker can be male or female, and the term covers working individuals, breadwinners, and wage earners alike.

LOVE AND SACRIFICE

Instead of linking the word to earnings, the Karnataka High Court connected it to what individuals bring to our lives. 

The court said:

"Any individual who tirelessly strives, showers unconditional love, sacrifices personal comfort at times and ultimately becomes a pillar for a happy and stable family is a homemaker."

The ruling shifts the definition from a list of chores (like cooking, cleaning, or laundry) to emotional and structural foundation of the family.

NATION BUILDERS

In June this year, the Supreme Court called homemakers the true "nation builders". Judges said, "We are of the view that the housewife contributes to the growth of the human being and the nation.”

The apex court went on to even say that unpaid domestic work performed by homemakers must be valued at a minimum of ₹30,000 per month under a separate head for "domestic care" when calculating compensation for road accident deaths.

India at 79: Economic strides vs social realities

Image source: Pixabay

On the 15th of August, India will enter the 80th year of its Independence. As every year, the air will be rent with patriotic songs; there will be the nation's Tricolour aflutter almost everywhere, and there will be lofty speeches that ooze nationalistic fervour. Everyone gets involuntarily drawn into the celebratory atmosphere.

No doubt, during the past 79 years, we have made tremendous progress in almost all walks of life. India is today a self-reliant nation, almost on a par with any developed nation. That's something to be really proud of.

IT'S A DIFFERENT INDIA TODAY

Be that as it may, all is not very well. India today is not the same India as it was many years ago. While a lot of good things have happened and are happening, as if to counter them, in many ways we are sliding back in some aspects. The entire socio-political-economic landscape has undergone a huge change. The extent of this change has only accentuated in the past two decades, which is worrying.

My anecdotal experiences tell me that Indians by and large have become prosperous. The newer generations, be it in cities or villages, are far better off economically than the previous ones. There is a lot of economic prosperity, which is a really good thing.

FREEDOM TO QUESTION

What is worrying are the changes in the socio-political space. More and more people have become less and less accommodative and inclusive. Their tolerance levels have dropped, and they are unable to see a point of view that is different from theirs. Worse, a person with a different opinion is harshly and unfairly judged and condemned.

Take for example, if one criticises the policies of the Union government, there are a large number of people willing to brand you as anti-national. This was never the case earlier, say when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. She too was nationalistic and authoritarian. Not even during the time of Atal Behari Vajpayee (who headed a right-wing BJP-led coalition government).

ENFORCED NATIONALISM

Today, for some inexplicable reason, after 79 years of steady progress as a nation, an inferiority complex is being injected into the social fabric; so much so that thrusting nationalism on people has almost become a state policy.

I don't understand where this sense of insecurity is coming from. If our country is more developed and stronger, as the government claims and to which I do agree, the government should actually be more confident and accommodative.

FREEDOM WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY

While on one side we have freedom of expression against ruling parties being limited, on the other side, a lack of strong enforcement of rules has given people the freedom to do anything and get away with it.

Freedom comes with a lot of responsibility; on the part of the government functionaries as well as citizens. One area where India really lags behind is in civic sense. The sense of discipline, societal well-being, social responsibility, civic duty, and a concern for other people, are very much in short supply. Examples are aplenty all around us, like the way motorists drive, the way garbage is disposed of, the way we behave in public spaces, etc.

As we enter the 80th year of Independence, there is of course a lot to celebrate. But there is just as much to introspect on, and plenty of scope to make course corrections as well -- for the government, the politicians, the public servants and the citizens.

(This post is a part the Blogchatter Blog Hop)

Being NBN

Most of this month was taken up by a trip down memory lane.

First was the fruition of my book project — a compilation of reminiscences about my father, N Balakrishnan Nair, a Chemistry teacher at my school, written by some of his students and colleagues.

NBN, as he was popularly known, was much more than a Chemistry teacher at Sainik School Kazhakootam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Besides chemical equations and theories, he spoke in class about Indian and world history and the lives of great people, which he learned about from the innumerable books he read. Biographies and history were his favourites.

He had such an unwavering commitment to his students that he went out of his way to help them. At the same time, he was a strict disciplinarian too. There was a line he didn't want anyone to cross, and if someone did, obtaining a pardon was extremely difficult.

The idea for the book — Being NBN — came about a few years after my father passed away on 29th November 2016. There were so many anecdotes, both serious and funny, that people who knew NBN recalled. I thought they should all be put together so that they were not lost in mere memories, but chronicled and archived.

Over forty articles, with authors ranging from the first to the last batch he taught (1965 to 1995), along with vintage photographs, portray the multifaceted personality that NBN was. One common thread running through them is the profound influence my father had on his students' lives.

OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

The book was released on Old Boys Day, on the 18th of July. Incidentally, my father played a key role in founding the Old Boys Association way back in 1969. He nurtured it painstakingly, replying to letters he received from the alumni. The OBA Day has been held in school every year since then.

The whole month was spent giving the final touches to the contents of the book, proofreading, and keeping tabs on orders for the book.

While the book connects easily with my father's students, it could also be fascinating reading for others as a biographical sketch of a teacher and the unique way he bonded with his students. 

The book is not on any online platform as of now; copies are being dispatched based on orders received. A Kindle version will be made available by the publisher soon.

FUN-FILLED, FULFILLING

As always, a visit to our alma mater, Sainik School, is like a pilgrimage. It wasn't just a place where we studied; academics was just one part of a wholesome learning process. The school moulded us in every way. With a strict regimental daily routine, we learned to be disciplined and organised. We also learned how to face and resolve problems rather than run away from them.

Old Boys Day is the day we get recharged. This year, on the 18th of July, was no different. Going back to the very same place that shaped our formative years (and later years too), meeting classmates, seniors, and juniors, reviving memories, and making connections; it was all fun-filled and fulfilling.

From Thiruvananthapuram, on the 20th, we went to Tiruvalla and then to Ernakulam, before returning to Bengaluru.

From August, I hope to be more regular on the blogosphere.