Discussion Blog Eleven
When the second wave of feminism came about there were obvious issues to be address with the male dominated work force. Although many of those problems still exist and need to be addressed they have been reduced in their level of severity. Now, with the coming of the third wave of feminism, there is a much broader and more detrimental problem that many feminists have adopted, that is the problem of the general employment crisis that is strangling the work force today. Unemployment is now a problem for both genders especially for those in the liberal arts (Sidler, 354 WVFV). So which is a greater threat to the feminist movement for equality and economic independence? It is a verifiable fact that 75% of people who do not graduate from college will have a poor financial future and that women who do not have a college degree make less than half of those that do. It is also a fact that the average wage of working women in this age group is 18% less than that of men (Sidler, 353 WVFV). So what is the greater evil right now? Has the problem of work force equality been leveled enough to shift the focus to the floundering job market or is the mounting number of “McJobs” less important than women being equal to men both in status and wage?
The Lecture Eleven Instructor Blog refers to the 'glass ceiling' that women find themselves up against as they attempt to work their way up within a company or profession. bell hooks argues that "...work does not liberate women from male domination." (FIFE, p. 49) Statistics consistently reveal that women, while working outside the home in greater numbers than ever before, are encouraged to pursue different careers than men and continue to earn less money than men in equivalent positions.
Sexual harassment is a major issue in today’s society. It has become an issue ever since “the inappropriate spillover of gender roles to the work environment.” (Rogers & Henson p.359). Women have been trying hard and struggling to get into the work force for many years. Michelle Sidler said that, “Many second wave feminists were faced with an either/or dilemma also: either get (or stay) married…or follow their desires as self-sustaining, intelligent women.” There were not many options being offered to women and little advances being made. Men are being sexually harassed as well, but not as much as women (not to make it seem as though men aren’t important either, but women are the majority being sexually harassed).
