Suffrage, labor rights, and the equal rights amendment are related in many ways. The right to vote is a tool that can be used to advance human rights, and improve conditions for those who are suffering. Without a voice in government, your voice likely will not be listened to at all — at least by those who can make a big change with all the power that they have. The right to vote can make it so that workers have a livable wage, and good working conditions, and this connects to the Equal Rights Amendment because labor rights are connected to women’s rights and gender justice. This is because a huge chunk of the workers being exploited for their labor are women.
I think these issues are very prevalent today. A lot of people like to think that just because there are no sweatshops in the United States (that we know of) that they’re just nonexistent. Meanwhile, as we saw in the video, even after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire serving as a cautionary tale, we have a similar incident happening in Bangladesh that cost people their lives. This shows how workers’ rights are still in peril and we still have much more work to do.
Something that I find very interesting, and also very complicated, is that a lot of people like to combat fast fashion by thrifting and shopping sustainably, but then a lot of the time, that is inaccessible to people because of how expensive it can be. Recently, it’s also become sort of trendy to shop sustainably and to go thrift shopping, which has encouraged places that were once affordable to raise their prices to accommodate the new wave of more affluent shoppers. This is particularly popular among young social media influencers — and when they don’t thrift, they often spend ridiculous amounts of money on websites that are known for their sweatshop labor — because the prices of their items are extremely cheap.
Whether you believe it or not, poverty is a real problem, even in the United States, and many families can’t afford to shop sustainably due to their financial hardships. There can be a very blurry line, and there is a lot of shame when it comes to being a consumer sometimes.
Ultimately, while consumers definitely have a hand in fast fashion and its consequences, the focus should fall on the big companies who are approving immoral mass production and sweatshop labor. Big companies are to blame. Capitalism as a whole is to blame. Things really need to change — and it starts with letting our voices be heard.
Hi Paulina,
I completely agree that capitalism is to blame when considering these social issues. Our capitalist society was built on greed and poverty and poor working conditions are the result of this. Without intervention, government and the wealthy will continue to profit and benefit from the working/lower class’ suffering. There is definitely still change that needs to be made but it will be difficult to break the corruption and hierarchy built into society.
Hello, I definitely agree that a lot of times since we may not see these types of working conditions they still exist. There are some companies like Amazon that don’t let their workers take breaks sometimes and are forced to work long hours. A lot of these problems are caused by greedy corporations.
Hi Paulina,
Factories like these are not like existing anymore, geographylly, people think they are not existing anymore in the states. I think it is true since many clothes factories are moving to southern asia due to low hourly salary also worse or less strict labor right/benefit requirements. But these factories are still working for american clothes companies. Capitalist would find the way to work for them in a cheapest way even this way would sacrifice their employees’ labor rights.
Hi Paulina!
ugh you are right that thrifting has become too “trendy” now ,that stores are price gouging. Why is a shirt $30 at the thrift store?!?? Some people buy fast fashion because it is cheap and what they can afford and that’s okay. Where it goes wrong (I think) is when someone buys lots of fast fashion because they want to keep up with trends, and then will only wear those garments a handful of times before tossing.
Things we can be doing in terms of sustainable fashion is only buying items you love and know that you will get good use out of, and swapping clothes with friends!
From the videos, i noted that the bosses kept the doors locked on the workers, and that this is a prime example of how under capitalism the owners/companies only value money over someone’s life. This is still the same idea today.