…

Think about your relationship to capitalism in the United States.

Capitalism is the economic system in the United States. When I reflect on my relationship with capitalism in the United States am a hard worker and now a student. I have times when I may struggle due to my job. In the United States, there is a saying that the rich stay rich while the poor stay poor. I feel like opportunities weren’t handed to me but I had to fight, struggle, and remain focused to get to where I am today. Being a woman of color, a woman with tattoos, and a bright personality it isn’t easy for me to just be placed in a box so my opportunities were all earned. I work in the tech industry and there is competition between women and men all the time due to it being a male-dominated industry. I have always had to work 10x harder to prove myself to get promoted and even sometimes change who I am when interacting with the higher-ups. But in order for me to get far in America “code-switching” is something I have gotten used to doing.

Have you been successful in the marketplace?  Why or why not?

According to the reading this statement “Capitalism structurally oppresses, restricts and inhibits the access of marginalized individuals, minority communities, and differently-abled persons by regulating the opportunities available to them.” When looking at this statement I will say I’m successful in my marketplace of the tech industry because I’m women of color, who had limited opportunities given to me, and I have made it to leadership status in my current role. I’m not responsible for a group of individuals entering the industry and I help lead out training. I have remained focused and resilient and it has gotten me to where I am today. I do still believe I have more ahead of me but with enough drive, passion, and remaining focus I will make it. Others looking in may say I’m not successful because I’m retail level instead of corporate America. Success may look different to others. I do believe your success is what you make of it.

What are your goals for your career? Are you confident you will reach those goals?

My goal for my career is to become a senior manager after I reach that level within retail I would want to join corporate. I want to learn as much as I can on a retail level so I can succeed within corporate. I’m confident I will reach these goals because I take every day as a learning opportunity for me to become a better version of myself. My ability to be able to learn from others and in a way “code switch” when appropriate I do think it will help me out. I have a saying that if you want to reach a goal you have to surround yourself around what you want to be and rub your shoulders. Our world is evolving so I do believe eventually it won’t be as hard for women in tech. I have been a part of women of wireless when I worked for Verizon which highlighted women in tech so I know major companies are trying to bridge the gap.

Finally, what would a feminist economy look like so that nobody is exploited?

Feminism is a socio-economic and political ideology focused on dismantling gender discriminatory structures. Women’s economic empowerment includes women’s ability to participate equally in existing markets, access to the same kind of work, control over their own time, lives, and bodies; and increased voice. There will be more women present in major corporations and, not just males.

Eromidayo Olayiwola (Harmony)

Prof. Hollis Glaser

GWS 100-1300

Discussion 6

Think about your relationship to capitalism in the United States.

After reading the article and viewing the video, I discovered that it is challenging for women to succeed in the capitalist system where women are more likely to experience marital violence, economic repercussions, and societal disasters. My status as a woman, a student teacher, a wife, a mother, and a sister in society has been negatively impacted by the effects of a patriarchal system where women are oppressed and discriminated against. In a capitalist society like the United States, where patriarchal systems still influence how women are viewed and compensated, I strive and struggle to carve out a place for myself while still accommodating everyone. Being paid minimum wage, taking care of my personal safety to avoid harassment, and starting out with long hours of domestic work has forced me into a low-paying job where I am unable to blossom as an early childhood educator.

Have you been successful in the marketplace?  Why or why not?

According to Gebrial’s article, being a feminist alone is insufficient since one must also consider the structural factors that influence women as a whole and look beyond traditional gender roles because masculinity can affect both men and women equally. Living in a society where marketplace “success” looks far away and the ongoing discrimination against violations of human rights persists, it is difficult to conclude that one has been “successful.” Men and women are so interwoven and depend on each other to attain success even if I live in a culture where collaboration and equity are still dependent on gender, color, or socioeconomic class. I want a community where a man and woman can exercise their right, reach compromise, come together, and find a solution, that is agreeable to the gender involved, without intimidation or oppression then success can be achieved.

What are your goals for your career? Are you confident you will reach those goals?

As a teacher of young children, my aim is to acknowledge my own prejudice, set an example of equity for my students, and deal with improper comments. I’ll also review my course materials and give each student the necessary resources and opportunities they need. I am certain that by creating a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is culturally sensitive and inclusive of students from all backgrounds, I will succeed in accomplishing my goals as well as those of my students.

Finally, what would a feminist economy look like so that nobody is exploited?

According to the article “Feminist Politics,” feminism is a movement that sees intersectionality as a vital component in feminist communities in order to remove sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression. Implementing “Gender Mainstreaming,” an approach that has the potential to have a substantial impact on society by encouraging equal opportunity at all levels of policies, initiatives, and projects. Furthermore, a feminist economy will incorporate, include, and analyze policies, initiatives, and projects to ensure that they benefit both men and women equally.

Patriarchy puts men at the top. Capitalism puts the rich at the top.

When I think “rich” , the richest person I can think of will be an old, white male. Truth is: Both patriarchy and capitalism tie together leaving women at the bottom.

My position to capitalism is simply living in the United States and having the option of a minimum wage job. Now to grow from there is where you see the difference. If I can’t afford to go to school and rise then I am more likely to remain where I am and have my future led by capitalist decisions. There is competition in corporate jobs because women have to prove themselves capable of accomplishing the same amount of work ethic as men.

In my current job, as a early childhood teacher, you rarely see males. As if there is this idea that men cant be teachers or nannies. Below I am attaching a research summary with statistics

“Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for preschool teachers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia’s data science team found that:

• There are over 2,176,693 preschool teachers currently employed in the United States.
• 93.6% of all preschool teachers are women, while 6.4% are men.” (Zippia, The Career Expert)

What may seem like there is an advantage to women in this job position, but currently there is a shortage of teachers globally due to underpaid teachers, HIGHER PERCENTAGE INCLUDE WOMEN.

The pattern that relates to me is that a job that is accepted for me to have because I am a seen as a woman but should not expect to make as much money. Perhaps teachers (and many other job positions) would make more money if it wasnt seen as a “womans job”