Feeling at home in Ulricehamn - most of the time!

Where do I belong and where is my home? Different people will answer this question differently but to me Ulricehamn is my home – most of the time. Soon it will be two years ago that I set off to a new destination bringing my foreign family with me to Ulricehamn. I am Swedish and so are my children but they were foreigners when they entered this place as they had never lived in Sweden before, never gone to a Swedish school, never celebrated Lucia or midsummer and as Swedish was not their first language.

Today, Ulricehamn is the place my children likes the best (and Ingrid who has moved 9 times across 3 different continents should know!). They have made us parents promise not to move in a long time and they feel just as Swedish as their classmates and friends. We are now a part of a place that offers fantastic experiences when it comes to sports, nature and cultural activities. People are friendly, helpful and caring and we have met very many wonderful people. This is why I feel at home here most of the time.

But sometimes I do not feel at home here. I do not understand why there are no women on any chairman positions within our municipality. I do not understand why fewer men in Ulricehamn, then the average in Sweden, take out parental leave. I do not understand why there are larger salary differences between male and female department managers in our municipality than in other towns. I do not understand why most boards (both in the public and in the private sector) are filled with men and on the occasion a woman. Scientists around the world today all agree on the financial and social benefits of equality between the sexes and still this argument does not seem to click in peoples mind.

I do however understand why it is so difficult to get more women active in politics. I do understand why many women decide to use their time on other things then sitting on different boards. It is not their arena, the structure of everything is set to suit men with little home responsibilities (how many meetings do not take place in the evening just about dinnertime?) and if they would dare to make an entrance they are alone as women in the group.

Am I making a problem of something that is not a problem? Not many women in Ulricehamn are complaining about this and the men do not see it as a problem at all. They feel that they have done enough and that we have to wait and see. They would like to see more women in leading positions but unfortunately there are none.

Is this true? Who wishes to leave the power he has achieved? Who is willing to change structures that are favourable for men? Who is willing to change they way we elect of chose new candidates? Who is willing to change the way we look at competence and skills? Who is willing to step back and let someone else, someone with a different way of leading, a different way of looking at things, have a go? Who is really willing to change?

Changes often bring confusion and insecurity. Changes can be painful and difficult to experience but most of the time changes bring about new possibilities, innovative approaches to things and teaches us new things along the way. Ulricehamn is my home and I am not here to change it into something else. I just wish I would see more of the 10000 female talents in Ulricehamn brought forward!