Gender at Work : Then and Now

I always try to include as many details as possible, of course with things that are interesting and educational. This week, I would like to include the reading by Connell that we have discussed today. 

Some of the main concepts Connell mentioned:

When it comes to gender at work, we should start with gender in the corporation and by examining the origin of corporation to understand the structure of production relations. Interestingly, the structure can be traced back from Europe. At that time, all of the institutions are gendered as there are only male workers in the corporation. And not surprisingly because of this reason, gendered hierarchies are developed in corporations as men actively running the place and defend the system. The next concept he talks about is the power relations in the state. There are some really successful women getting into the top management level but they are expected to act like a man and at the same time finish their "unpaid" domestic jobs at home. Apart from this issue, there are more men than women working in the sector. Also, men work in areas like economy or military force while women in areas of education and health. However, financial globalisation in societies would challenge this masculine perspective in bureaucratic hierarchies. At last, Connell believes it is possible to change the situation of gender inequality in the state by decolonisation and globalisation. 

I agree with him stating professional women nowadays actually have more than one job, that is the corporate one and the domestic unpaid one. The domestic unpaid one should be shared with your partner/ husband. Gender equality is promoted and improved in work place nowadays, but how about women at home? Speaking from a female perspective, do we have to work hard for our jobs outside and do all the cooking, laundry and home maintenance stuff? I am not a feminist but I do not agree with the rules in society that women have to take care of domestic stuff.

BACK TO SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING!!

Do you still remember the movie "North Country" introduced by the guest lecturer today?

The movie is generally based on a true story in 1989, the female lead (Josey) in the movie tries her best to make a living in a job perceived as  "masculine" job. This movie shows us about female at work  getting abused and sexually harassed in such industries. Josey then sue the mine company and win the case for the first time in human history.

Clip from North Country

This is a really good example of gender inequality at work during that time, she was humiliated and abused in the scene which I found really disgusting. Also, it shows that women at work in the past would easily get physically abused and raise questions of insecurity since you don't know when will be your next time to be "attacked.

Another movie based on a true story is called Magdalene Sisters which is also related to gender inequality and it also raised questions about having double standards for men and women. Young women are "jailed" to those degrading asylums, doing laundries for life without getting paid. Many of them did nothing wrong, they are in it simply because they are considered as fallen women or just being too pretty. Women getting abused and get pregnant result from raping, only the victim is to blamed and lock into those asylums. They are often sexually and physically abused in the asylums. 

The questions come into my mind, why they have to do laundry for long hours? Why are they not getting paid (even prisoners get paid for working in jail) and why they do not have a promised day of leaving? I would call this the worst case of human exploitation and slaves labour. 

Related to this topic, we can actually do something to change society just like what Connell suggests. There is a program called gender at work, which is a program founded in 2001 that help with women’s empowerment and gender equality in different organizations. They have three primary goals which includes recognizing the gender-biased features in organization and ways to change it. Gives support to the transformation of institution and the last one is working with key decision makers in related social justice and rights. 

Look at this video about gender segregation at work, men and women are not allow to work together.
The management grade people are basically men, by segregating women from them, this can prevent women from being promoted at the same rate as their male colleagues.

Coming to the last bit, this is a really old surf advertisement in 1950s again shows the gender specific jobs! The man in a business suit going to work and the woman possibly just stay at home to do laundry. Her biggest achievement is to get the clothes clean and get approved by her man.

Sorry, this entry is a little bit long and full of information but I hope you enjoy it (hope it's not boring)!!!

Patriarchal families and society

Clearly, we are still living in a patriarchal society with patriarchal families. A patriarchal family is when the father is the authority figure and everyone gains his approval or follows his instructions. Gender roles in family are usually shaped by this concept and being powerful or not in society is not only determined by sex but something more, including class and race. 

This week, I am going to focus on how values of patriarchal families are expressed in real life, in movies and in royal family. And how race and class may also have an impact on gender roles in family and society.

In real life:

I believe one of the reasons that cause difference of roles in family is due to the biological difference of female and male. Females give birth and stay home to rest and recover, so they can take care the kids. While males can not give birth so they have to go out and make a living. The roles are not reversible due to the difference in bodies. Usually mother and father go out to work or only father goes out to work. But rarely mother goes out to work and the father stays home and take care of the kids.

"It is the responsibility of the father to see to it that there is no shortage of the essential items in the house. On the other hand it is the responsibility of the mother nurture the children, properly feed them, care for their hygiene and they are in good health." 

In movies:

Bend it like Beckham (2002)

Sometimes, gender roles are affected by race too. The girls in the movie want to play football. Both Jules and Jess experience oppositions from their mothers but they are treated differently because of their races and family background. Jess's mum said "you don't even want to learn to cook" and she is told not to play football and should get married just like her sister. While Jules's mum said only those without a boyfriend would play sports. In an Indian family, parents are really strict to their daughters and they have to learn how to cook and get married. For Jules, from a western family, her mother did not mention anything in particular related to marriage.

If you want to look at more examples of normalizing male dominance in movies nowadays
click the link below:
Normalizing male dominance in films

In royal family:

The line of succession (Full list)

1. The Prince of Wales
2. The Duke of Cambridge
3. Prince Henry of Wales
4. The Duke of York
5. Princess Beatrice of York

How about the factor of class? Look at the top 5 on the line of succession, four of them are male and that implies the priority of succession is male first. Who is sovereign also means who is in control and dominant. Traditionally, in a royal family, they follow even more traditional rules about patriarchy than other people of middle class.

Yet, some try to challenge it:

Most of the Bollywood movies treat women in the typical patriarchal way, however in some movies the movie makers try to challenge this norm. In Mother India (1957). The mother shoots her own son in order to save a friend's daughter - the moneylender who practically ruined her life with his unreasonable loans. Other examples including fighting against husband, divorces and justice.

For more examples on the list, please click here.