Morticia Addams on Being a Woman in the Workplace

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By Saffina Jinnah

Morticia Addams has been a long-time feminist icon. A sultry gothic queen, you might say. She is a deep, multi-faceted character. Morticia is independent, maternal, sexy, and weird. Let’s just say, Morticia Addams knows what she is doing. But what does she know about being a woman in the workplace?

Here are 5 Lessons from Morticia Addams on Being a Woman in the Workplace:

Know Your Worth.

To know your worth is to believe in yourself and in your value as a human being. It means you understand that you are worthy of respect, kindness, and acceptance from others. The Addams Family motto is, after all, “Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc” meaning “We gladly feast on those who subdue us.” This is carved on the tombstone of Mother and Father Addams and in one particular scene, Morticia goes on to explain that these are “Not just pretty words.” These words speak to maintaining one's individuality and independence in the face of conformity.

Morticia exudes this credo. She is strong, confident, and self aware and practices self love and self belief. This is important not only in our day-to-day life but also in the workplace. To be respected, one must respect themselves. And whether you are strange, peculiar, or a normy, you should be just who you are. When you are your true self, you will find people who understand you and accept you both in in and out of the workplace.

Ensure You are Treated as an Equal.

“I’m just like any modern woman trying to have it all,” explains Morticia. “Loving husband, a family. It’s just…I wish I had more time to seek out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade,” she goes on. Morticia ensures she expresses her desires outside of family life and when she does, it is not long before they seek solutions to free up time for her other obligation and passions.

In an age where screen moms were expected to stay at home, do it all, or just be absent or dead – cue Full House, Blossom, The Nanny, Sinbad, Party of Five, the list goes on; Morticia, shockingly, hired help. Because even though we fundamentally know it is not possible, women are still expected to strive to ‘have it all’; and of course, notably, men are not. What is ‘all’ anyway? And who decided we wanted it?

Most commonly, ‘having it all’ refers to push and pull of our professional life and family life in the pursuit of balance. Earlier this year in Forbes, regarding women who appear to ‘have it all’, Katy McFee noted, “The reality is that these women have a lot of help and those who are trying to do it themselves are burning out!” The article goes on to explain how the owner of a law group realized this years ago, “’I just started modeling what all the men were doing,’” Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert explains.

Men have traditionally had domestic tasks managed for them, giving them greater work life balance. Asking for more, or really the same, as your male counterparts can have a major impact on your wellbeing. Sure, this can look like hiring additional support, or it may mean redefining and reassigning tasks with partners and having deeper discussions about the division of labour. This applies in the workplace as well. Whether you are asking to take on more challenges, more opportunities, or more pay, you will not get anything if you don’t ask.

If we, like Morticia, speak up and are not afraid to ask for more, we come closer to closing these gaps. And this spooky matriarch refuses to be treated as anything less than equal.

Be Realistic.

At her core, Morticia is a realist. She is honest and does not shy away from the truth, with herself and her family. As a mother, she is upfront with her children and does not shelter them from life’s realities. Afterall, it is Wednesday is the one who informs Pugsley how their new baby brother Pubert is conceived (followed by several attempts to kill him as she fears he is to replace her or Pugsley).

Though her voice is as sweet as a thorny rose stem, it is often Morticia whom the family turns to for advice and authority because of her calm yet direct demeanor. It is this balance that creates an ideal workplace as well. When we are asked for feedback, guidance, and/or support, embodying the spirit of Morticia can go a long way.

It's Hard but Don’t Give Up.

When the Addams are forced out of their home by the likes of Abigail and Tully, sending Gomez into lethargic grief, Morticia doesn’t give up and seeks out paid work to keep the family afloat. She becomes the sole breadwinner as a schoolteacher (of course putting her own frightful spin on it, ensuring the children are left teary eyed and grim).

Women know what we need to do and get it done. It is not the first time nor the last time. Time and time again, society challenges our gothic heroine. Having been run out of town by her normy neighbours, on her wedding night no less, she perseveres. Rather than changing and compromising on her values, she seeks out a home that suits her and her family. Likewise, when challenges arise at work, it is sometimes easier to give up and give in.

There are countless times in my career that I have regretted sitting silently or not trying something different whether that be sharing a bold idea, piping in with an answer, or asking for an opportunity. It is easy to get bogged down in the mundane nine to five. And there will be good days and bad days. But by sticking it out and maybe even taking some risks – this how we grow, and this is how we learn.

You Have a Unique Perspective.

In 2021, 68% of women aged 20 to 54 were employed full time, up from 65% in 2007. The number of women employed in Canada continues to grow each year. There were 9.6 million women employed in Canada in September 2023, up 2.7% from September 2022. This is significant because we bring a different perspective than men given our different experiences. We generally understand the value of relationships, collaboration, cooperation. This often creates a more productive environment, allowing for greater innovation. More over, the Harvard Business Review states, “Female executives are likely to care less about tradition and are more open to challenging the status quo than their male counterparts.” Like Morticia, we challenge the norm.

And like Morticia, we also know how to take charge. When she hears the stock market has crashed, she takes over the family finances, becoming a fencing instructor and tango teacher. And indeed, it is her who takes the lead on saving Uncle Fester. Our experiences make us who we are and inform how we respond in different situations. Women have a myriad of experiences that continue to offer fresh perspectives in the workplace.

Though we only have glimpses of this icon throughout the Netflix series, Wednesday, she has made her mark. And just as she advised her daughter in Season One, we can all take note:

“You have your own path to blaze.” – Morticia Addams

Saffina Jinnah is a brown girl living in Vancouver, BC. A first generation Canadian, her parents are from Uganda. In her day-to-day life she works in non-profit funding, is an active volunteer, and loves to read in coffee shops sipping something over-sweetened and over-caffeinated. You can read more of her writing at Confessions of a Brown Girl.