Tea. Trendy exercise classes. And time to do the crossword puzzle.

These were the questions (or are they the answers?) under a misguided Jeopardy category titled “What women want” this week. Check out the clip here.

If only it were so simple. While the real list of “wants” will always be as different as the woman writing it, we’d suggest this classist, ethnocentric game show list has glossed over the foundational rights and deep seeded desires of women.

Women on both sides of the border have long since moved past the stereo-typical view of what a woman needs to be happy and fulfilled. No longer is it considered the norm for women to be sipping tea while quietly doing a good crossword puzzle as her children play happily in the background. Rather, most women are racing around between the roles of mother, professional working woman, educator, partner and highly engaged neighbour and friend.

Certainly the writers of this Jeopardy category have failed to capture the dignities, large and small, which many women coming to the YWCA of Calgary are lacking when they seek our assistance with shelter, counselling and skill building.

Leaving aside the hygiene supplies and warm PJs which we do provide through the support of donors, under the category of “What women require”, the list we’d advocate would read as follows.

  • Lives free from threat of violence.
  • Safe, appropriate and affordable housing.
  • Income equality.
  • Universal affordable, quality childcare.
  • Healing, compassion and skills necessary to move forward from trauma.

After those are taken care of, perhaps we can add vacuuming to the list.