By Dane Waters- Health Communication Resources
My wife and I recently took our five-year-old and six-month-old to the community pool. As I was paddling around with our baby, enjoying the moment, an elderly lady nearby smiled and said, “It’s so different to my day, seeing how dads are doing it.” She nodded towards another father carrying his child out of the pool and added, “It’s so great to see!”
We struck up a conversation between splashes. She was in her mid-80s and spoke about growing up during World War II. We chatted about how the roles of men have changed over time, and she shared how heartening it was to see dads so involved these days, something that simply wasn’t the norm when she was younger.
As a dad of two young boys, I’m deeply grateful for the generations of work that have helped create this change. Being able to be more present and emotionally connected with my children is a privilege that wasn’t always possible for men in earlier times.
While we still have a long way to go, it’s worth pausing to reflect on how far we’ve come. Each small shift, from dads at the pool to workplaces supporting parental leave, helps to dismantle outdated and rigid gender stereotypes. These changes give me hope that we’re moving closer to a community free from violence against women, because challenging those old stereotypes is a vital part of prevention.
That was my reflection as I floated there with my six-month-old, grateful, hopeful, and reminded that change is happening.