So, where is my support??

So, where is my support??

By, Brittany Lumpkin

In society there is always support for the women who have spouses in military, disabilities, or children. However, we rarely see the support for those who do not have those things but instead identify as smart, successful, strong, and/or single. This post is intended to start a conversation about what support would be needed or desired by those who are expected to be independent. At what point did independent become superhuman with no need for emotional, financial, or educational support?

What is independence? According to Dictionary.com it is the freedom from the control, influence, support aid or the like of others. This definition is true but is not entirely accurate when it relates to humanity. While attending college I rarely relied on my parents for financial support however, I did rely on them and others for emotional support. We as human beings are social cr4eatures meaning no matter how independent or strong we are we still need the support of others. Which begs the question of the term “independent woman”?

So, does this woman really exist? I would like to ask does independence really exist? As all independent current independent nations are codependent on the products and monetary trades with each other, is there real independence in the world? Relationally speaking (we are all connected via living on the same damn planet!) there is no such thing as complete independence, instead there is stand aloneness. Stand aloneness is the ability to do things with minimal support (financial, mental, emotional) and no dependents which gives room to reach out for the support of others. However, from personal experience there is not much support for those who identify with this definition of being.

     While thinking about this topic I challenge institutions:
·         Universities
·         Government
·         Post-graduate programs
·         Employers

To think about their decisions of benefits offered to those who identify as “stand-aloners” (instead of independent). I wonder what your experiences have been with being an “Independent woman/man” do you agree with the idea of a new term of “stand-aloner” or “stand-aloneness”? Have you ever experienced feeling left out at an institution for benefits (scholarships, benefit package discounts, deadline extensions, etc.) due to not being married, military (spouse of military), or single parent?

Unknown. (2018). Definition of independence. Retrieved from: dictionary.com