November 13th

Sign in Lecture 9: Gender and the Economy Homework:

Washington Post article 7/13/06 “Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist” (CR) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/

2006/07/12/AR2006071201883.html

Lecture 9

Gender and the Economy

My daily needs: Think about all the things you need in a

regular day that allows you to accomplish your daily tasks and goals – these can be physical, biological, and emotional. Make a list and next to each thing, write: Who takes care of these needs for you (yourself,

a parent, sibling, partner/spouse, government agency, etc)?

Why this person in particular fulfills this need for you.

If they are paid to take care of this need.

Free Riders?

The social relations of power inside and outside the home affect and interact with each other Women's domestic labor in the home augments men’s work

outside the home (male pattern of work)

Free Rider: Person that enjoys a benefit accruing from the work of others, but contributes little or nothing to the effort

Does society as a whole, and men as a group, ‘free ride’ off the labor of women in our society (and around the world)?

Look at Figure 8.1 on pg 203: Why do women work more than men?

The Gender Double-Bind

When the definition of an economy includes only activities that involve monetary transactions, much of women's productive and reproductive work is excluded

Double-bind: Women are disadvantaged in the labor market due to their domestic responsibilities, and their disadvantaged position in employment leads to a continuation of these domestic responsibilities

More women working for wages today Paid work is an important institution because

it carries power and influences much of our lives

Women have always worked in the labor force, but not as much as they do today 1900 = 20% → 1988 = 50% →1998 = 65%

Occupational Segregation

The workplace is highly segregated by sex, which promotes gender inequalities Pink collar occupations Blue-collar/male occupations

More women are entering into “male occupations” than men into “female occupations” Why?

Structural Barriers

Structural and social barriers largely explain sex segregation in the workplace, not human capital

Is education the great equalizer? HS: men = $32K women = $22K BA: men = $51K women = $36K PhD: men = $77K women $56K

November 19th

Sign in Finish Lecture 9: Gender and the Economy Homework:

“The Globe Trotting Sneaker” by Cynthia Enloe (CR)

Research paper #3

Wage Gap:For Every White Man’s $...

Year Black men

Hispanic Men

White Women

Black Women

Hispanic Women

1970 $.69 na $.58 $.48 na

1980 $.70 $.70 $.58 $.55 $.50

1990 $.73 $.66 $. 69 $.62 $.54

2003 $.78 $.63 $. 75 $.65 $.54

Glass Ceiling

“Class Ceiling”: artificial barriers based on attitudes or organizational bias that keep women from being promoted “Sticky Floor”: low wage positions with limited

mobility

“Class Elevator”: men are often promoted quickly in traditionally “female” occupational sectors

Does Silicon Valley have a Glass Ceiling? Of CA’s 400 largest companies only 11.6% of

executive officers are women Santa Clara county companies are last in the state for

gender equality

What are the explanations? Career confusion Structural barriers Networks favor men Tech culture

The Last “Glass Ceiling”

United States (16%) ranks 69 out of a 135 countries for gender equality in politics Behind….

Sudan (18%) China (21%) Costa Rica (27%)

Sweden (48.8%) and Rwanda (47%) are the top two

Mommy Tax

$1 million “mommy tax” for college educated women

30 year old American women without children earns 90% of men’s wages, but with children earns 70%

MBA’s who pulled out of the job market for 8 months earned 17% less than counterparts

Professional men with working wives and children earn about 20% less than single men

Should we try to make work more equal for men and women?

Personal Choices?

Feminist Linda Hirshman’s Three Rules:1. Prepare yourself to qualify for good work

use your college education with an eye to career goals

2. Treat work seriously Find the money, because money = power

3. Don't put yourself in a position of unequal resources when you marry

Marry down Only have one child, if any

Public Policy Solutions?

Look to Sweden? Lowest levels of gender inequality

Pro-family policies: 1 year maternity leave at 75% of salary Right to return at 80% schedule until child is 8 Fathers get 10 days off and one month at 80%

pay Universal preschool

November 24th

Discuss Research #3 Finish Lecture 9 Homework: none – take a break

More than sex segregation…

Sex segregation and the wage gap reveals that women’s opportunities in the workplace are constrained because of their gender, however…

Women’s experiences in the labor force vary by ethnicity, race, age, and class Historically women who worked were poor,

Black/Latino, and recent immigrants

Women’s work and class

While, there are women working today, most growth has been among: Families earning $20K or less a year 67% single parents are working women 65% of dual parent families have working women

Since the 1960’s women have entered to supplement family income as men’s earning power has declined

Feminization of Poverty

In 2004, 5.5% of all two-parent families in the United States lived in poverty, but 28% of families headed by single mothers did

Complicated by race and ethnicity 46% of Latina single mothers 44% of Black single mothers 29% white single mothers

Work, Poverty, Gender, and Race Working Poor: work fulltime in jobs that are

less secure, low-paying, and deskilled Women and single-mothers fill the ranks of the

working poor

Poverty and Welfare Cycle 90% women, 63% Black/Latino, 50% no HS

diploma, disabilities, and domestic violence

Poverty and Single Motherhood Different family forms are placed differently in the social structure

63% of African American children are born to single mothers

Historical Legacy: Black Family and Slave-Economic System No marriage Strengthen female relationships, mother-child bond, valued

women’s labor

Mothers makes choices based on their position in the opportunity structure Marriage often offers women in poverty limited benefits

The Color of Opportunity

Economic opportunities for Black men are limited: 2x the unemployment rate More likely to be in low wage, less stable jobs Lower educational achievement 1 in 3 Black men with only a high school diploma will go to prison

before turning 40

Black men whose job applications stated that they had spent time in prison were only about one-third as likely as white men with similar applications to get a positive response

White men who are ex-felons are more likely to be hired that black men without a criminal record

Understanding the intersection of race, class, and gender Different family forms are placed differently in the

social structure

Why might their be a higher rate of poverty among single mothers? Wage gap Double-bind Potential partners earning ability Sex segregation Lack of cultural and social support in society

Wage Gap:For Every White Man’s $...

Year Black men

Hispanic Men

White Women

Black Women

Hispanic Women

1970 $.69 na $.58 $.48 na

1980 $.70 $.70 $.58 $.55 $.50

1990 $.73 $.66 $. 69 $.62 $.54

2003 $.78 $.63 $. 75 $.65 $.54

What about gender IN the workplace?

Sexuality and the Workplace

Sexual orientation not included in the 1964 Civil Right Act 2000 Bill Clinton signed an executive order that banned

discrimination for all civilian employees in the executive branch

17 states and 180 cities have laws

Many workplaces where open homosexuality is not accepted

Military: 1993 “Don’t ask, don’t tell policy” Engaging in sex with a person of the same sex is grounds for

discharge, however being gay is not

Does gender make a difference in how we understand the performance of individuals on the job?

Political Equality in India

India has significant gender inequality with only 9% of MPs being women

A 1991 law requires one-third of village council elections to female candidates

Study found that the villages headed by women invested in more services that benefited the entire community - schools, roads, and water pumps— than did those with gender-neutral elections, nearly all of which were won by men. But opinion polls showed the women's governance got

lower approval ratings than their male counterparts.

Damned if You Do, Doomed if You Don’t

Study surveyed 1,231 senior executives from the United States and Europe

It found that women who act in ways that are consistent with gender stereotypes — defined as focusing “on work relationships” and expressing “concern for other people’s perspectives” — are considered less competent.

But if they act in ways that are seen as more “male” — like “act assertively, focus on work task, display ambition” — they are seen as “too tough” and “unfeminine.”

Same Behavior, Different Gender Study participants were shown videos of job

applicants and asked to rate the applicant and chose their salary

Videos were identical, except for two variables Gender varied One video applicant gets angry and the other sad

The participants were most impressed with the angry man, followed by the sad woman, then the sad man, and finally, at the bottom of the list, the angry woman Angry man got $38k, while angry woman got $23k

Too Sexy?

One study showed respondents a video of a woman wearing a sexy low-cut blouse with a tight skirt or a skirt and blouse that were conservatively cut. The woman recited the same lines in both, and the viewer

was either told she was a secretary or an executive.

Being more provocatively dressed had no effect on the perceived competence of the secretary, but it lowered the perceived competence of the executive dramatically.

What a difference a gender makes?

“Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist”

Does the number of women matter? “Men and Women of the Corporation”: study by

Moss Kanter

Tokenism develops in organizations where there is a large preponderance of one type over another up to a ratio of 85:15,

Tokenism: the practice of hiring or appointing a token number of people from underrepresented groups in order to deflect criticism or comply with affirmative action rules

Tokens Reinforce Stereotypes Tokenism does not change stereotypes of social

systems but works to preserve them Tokens get more attention and have higher visibility

than those in the dominant group

Tokens are ironically, both highly visible as people different and yet not permitted the individuality of their unique, non-stereotypical characteristics

Am I doing a good job? Token does not have to work hard to be noticed, but does

have to work hard to have achievements noticed Women had to put in extra effort to make their technical skills

known

Fear of retaliation Set up a dynamic that can make tokens afraid of being too

outstanding in performance on group events and tasks

Response to performance pressures - must make a choice Take advantage of publicity and risk being labeled a “trouble-

maker” Limit visibility and become overlooked

Symbolic Consequences

Performance could affect the prospects of other women in the company

Every act tended to be evaluated beyond its meaning for the organization and taken as a sign of “how women perform”

The Woman’s Slot

Once women began to occupy certain jobs, those jobs became known as “women’s slots”

Affirmative action and equal employment opportunity jobs were also seen as women’s jobs

Women were stereotyped into roles within the corporation

The Mother Role

The assumption that women are sympathetic, good listeners and easy to talk to

Unlikely that nurturance, support and expressivity will be valued

The Seductress

Should a woman cast as a sex object share her attention widely, she risks the debasement of the whore

Other men may resent the high status male for winning the prize and resent the woman for gaining an “in” with the high status male

Rewarded for her femaleness and her perceived sexuality blotted out all other characteristics

The Pet Role

Adopted by the male group as the cute amusing thing, mascot, cheerleader

Expected to admire male displays but not enter them

Shows of competence were treated as special because they were not expected

The Iron Maiden

Women who resist overtures that would trap them in a role

Stereotyped as tougher than they are and trapped in a more militant stance than they might otherwise take

Why a ‘few good women’ won’t work Tokenism is a system rather than an

individual construct System phenomena require system-level

intervention

In the absence of external pressures for change, tokenism is a self-perpetuating system