Female empowerment is close to the heart of entrepreneur Marina Zubrod. Here you can find out how women, in their opinion, can actively do something for their equality.
Marina Zubrod, 34, is an employer, entrepreneur, investor, influencer and has been a mother for almost a year. In the BRIGITTE interview, she talks about how society’s opinion on topics such as partnership and career can be changed in order to create more equality for women. She also emphasizes the importance of an open discussion and individual design of family and care models.
BRIGITTE: In your opinion, what has to change in order for society’s attitude towards motherhood and career to change and for women to finally have equal rights?
Marina Zubrod: It will be difficult to change the way of thinking in our West German society, because it has its roots in the 1950s. I deliberately say West Germany here, because in East Germany or in other neighboring European countries it is sometimes common for both the woman and the man to work. Simply because you cannot economically afford for one to stay at home. In order to achieve equality, however, we must ensure that it becomes normal for women to pursue a career and rise to management positions. But this is only possible with affordable childcare, so that women don’t have to stay at home for years and thus give up their careers.
“Women should claim their own rights and responsibilities in relationships and marriages”
In your opinion, how can women become active themselves?
Women need to be open about it. Sometimes I have the impression that we overcompensate for our motherhood by saying how great it is to be home alone with the child. Nobody would admit that the man doesn’t want to stay at home because he prefers to go to work. Unfortunately, society expects her to stay at home, he earns the money and, best of all, she is happy and grateful about it. But this very attitude should be questioned. Women should claim their own rights and responsibilities in relationships and marriages.
How exactly can you deal with this in a marriage or partnership? how did you deal with it
Even before the child is born or before you start planning a child, you should talk about the conditions and ideas. Of course, it always depends on the health of the child and the mother, but the career of the woman should not be thwarted. keyword maternity leave. Maybe the mother goes on parental leave for 6 months first and then the father for 6 months – why not? It often doesn’t hurt the men if they’re not there for half a year, because they’re often preferred regardless of whether they’re there or not. If that were made more socially acceptable, i.e. that family and care models are very individual and everything is possible and everything is allowed, that would be an important step.
My husband and I live in an equal partnership and try to split the upbringing fifty-fifty. It starts with my husband getting up at night and giving our little one the pumped breast milk and we take turns putting her to bed. It’s important to me that she sees that fatherly love doesn’t just extend to the playground. He also takes care of feeding, changing diapers and putting to bed.
“My daughter should grow up and think more freely than I already do”
Where does this ambition for an equal partnership come from for you?
I had a father myself who didn’t take care of me. My mother was a single parent and always did everything to make everything possible for me, especially when it came to education. And the trauma is probably just so deep that I think they both need to be there for the child equally.
What do you wish for the future?
I believe that we women need to be aware that whether it is about parenting, relationship or whatever, we are half, which means that the rights and duties are divided 50% on both sides. Personally, of course, I also do this for my daughter so that this little girl grows up and thinks even more openly than I do now and it will be quite normal for her that a man also takes care of the child because she sees that her dad does it too.