Greeting cards for the women at work

It started with very separate roles for men and women. By and large, men inhabited the workplace and women worked at home.

Then it moved towards an ideal of androgyny. Men and women as not only equals, but essentially identical. Gender differences like temperament, management style, pregnancy and childbirth were swept under the proverbial rug of "things we don't want to deal with or even admit are there."

Times have changed. Equality is taken for granted (although it's not a complete reality.) And people are beginning to address the differences, not as good or bad but as unique and potentially valuable. For the very first time, perhaps ever, women are able to succeed without having to pretend they're men in skirts and pantyhose.

So what does this have to do with cards? A lot.

Whether it's a woman choosing the cards, or a woman receiving a card, it's no longer necessary to choose a gender-neutral (or even masculine) card in order to appear "professional."

Does that mean that business greeting card companies need to start making cards embellished with Victorian lace and teddy bears. Not necessarily. But maybe.

It is now okay for women to decorate their offices with decidedly feminine accessories. To admit that working while pregnant is NOT the same as anything the men in the office will ever experience or understand. And that a pretty card is a nice thing to receive.

Another revolution! And one to keep in mind when you're choosing cards for the women at work.